Sword Art Online: Revenance
by xCyrusx
Summary: Players of a virtual reality MMORPG, Sword Art Online, are trapped and fighting for their very lives. After it is announced that the only way to leave the game is by beating it, Cyrus, along with his guild, try their best to survive the death game.
1. Chapter 1: The Death Game begins

**_New story by me(Cyrus), Strat(Vile), Dark(Lily) and Reaper(Cross). _**

**_Chapter One: The Death Game begins_**

~November 6th, 2022~

The sound of a school bell rings, waking me from my thoughts and dragging me back to reality. "And that concludes the lesson. I will see you all on Monday" my teacher, Mr. Flores, tells us. I get all my things and walk out of the room. An arm wraps around my neck, pulling me into a headlock.

"You seem in a hurry, Cyrus the beta tester" I identify the voice to be one of my friends, Yuji.

"I'd much rather you not call me by my status while we're irl" I say, pulling my head free from his grip. He laughs. "Anyway, what time are you getting on so we can start?" He stops laughing and begins looking serious.

"I'll be getting on late unfortunately. Got a few things going on today. Just start without me and I'll send a request once I log on." I nod as we reach our lockers. I unlock my lock, slide my books into my book bag and leave the school, just barely making the bus back home.

~Home~

I hop off the bus and walk down the street leading to my house. Not such a far walk to it either, which is good. I look at my phone to see the time is 12:50, ten minutes before it's released. My walk turns into a sprint as I dodge the few incoming people leading to my house. Once I reach the door, I quickly unlock it and run inside, kicking my shoes off as I close the door back. I then make my way upstairs, dropping my book bag on the ground and tossing my jacket onto a chair. I then sigh as I sit down, now looking at my Nerve Gear. Looks like it's time to start.

I put the Nerve Gear on and watch as the clock ticks from 12:59 to 1:00. "Link Start!" I say. The various colors then shoot into my face followed by blue circles containing messages.

_Touch – OK  
Sight – OK  
Hearing – OK  
Taste – OK  
Smell – OK_

Once that finished, the language setting pops up along with the log-in screen. I type in my information and a screen asking me if I wanted to use my beta character comes up. I press yes and the screen fades to gray. _Welcome to Sword Art Online!_ Appears followed by a rush of blue and white coming at me.

I open my eyes to the ocean blue sky with little to no clouds in sight. I look down at my hands and then around to see other players spawning. Few minutes into the game and it already looks full. _So this is the full look of the Town of Beginnings huh? Might as well take a quick look around before getting started on leveling_, I think to myself as I begin walking. I go down an alleyway and reach what seems to be the central market. Some guy with long hair and blue starting armor runs past me and goes down a different alley. It's probably someone who's really eager to play the game or another beta tester looking to quickly get started.

I look around and see vendors posted up together, different from the beta setup. Guess they did change that part. "Thought you could get away, huh Cy?" a female voice asks. I turn around to see a purple eyed girl with black hair in the style of pigtails at medium length. "Just know you can't fool me!"

"Oh, hey Rei" I reply as she gets closer. "Decided to stalk me just like always?" She begins pouting as she furiously shakes her head. I knew that would upset her.

"That was one time!" she quickly retorts. I chuckle as she sighs. "...Anyways, I told my friends I was gonna level up once before they got on. Wanna join me?" A small box appears in front of me, asking if I wanted to join Rei's party. Rei, too, was a beta tester so she knows her way around the start of the game, like me.

"Sure. I'm pretty sure nothing can go wrong with us two." She smiles as I press the accept button. We then begin running to the gate of the city which leads to the field.

~Western Field~

Upon reaching the field, we're greeted by a beautiful scenery of an open green field accompanied with flowers here and there, trees and a clear blue sky. "And here I thought they couldn't make this place look better. This is even better than the beta version" Rei says as she continues looking around. I see a Boar spawn not too far from where we're standing. "Oh look, our first enemy."

"Might as well begin grinding to Horunka village like our beta days" I say. She giggles and we keep walking. The Boar comes closer. Rei takes a step backwards, making me look back at her.

"Let's see how rusty you are from the beta." I see a smile go across her face as I look back at the Boar that's now charging at me. I run and jump over it, stabbing its back in the process. As I pull my sword out and land, my sword glows white. I then dash past the Boar and hear the sound of glass breaking. I turn and see the Boar bursting into a thousand tiny pieces. A box appears telling me of the exp gained from the kill. "Stylish just as always." I smirk and another one spawns. "There's another, let's get it." I nod as she charges after it.

* * *

Rei lets out a yawn as I lean against a tree. We've grinded for one and a half hour with breaks in between. I'm level six while she's level five. "So much for what I told my friends" she says. A small chuckle comes out of me as I look at the sunset. We're close to Horunka village. "So, should we keep going?" I nod and she smiles. Seems that even though she told her friends she'd wait, she'd rather keep going. Just as I turn around, the sound of a bell goes off followed by a blue light surrounding me. Forced teleportation?

~Town of Beginnings, Main Plaza~

I open my eyes to the main plaza. Other players begin spawning as well. What's going on? "There's something up there" Rei says, pointing at the sky. I look up and see something red in the sky. More begin appearing, spreading and covering the sky completely. Some red... liquid thing begins flowing out, turning into a giant cloaked person afterwards.

"Attention players..." the cloaked person begins talking. "I welcome you to my world." Various murmurs fly around the crowd. Must be the GM. "My name is Akihiko Kayaba and, as of this moment, I am in control of this world." Well, that's pretty much the part of being the GM of a game right? "I'm sure most of you have already noticed an item missing from your main menus, the log out button. Let me assure you, this is not a defect in the game. I repeat, this is not a defect. This is how Sword Art Online was designed to be." I watch as he goes through the menu and shows there's no log out option.

"You've got to be joking..." I say under my breath. I must have said it louder than I thought since Rei looks over at me.

"You cannot log yourselves out of SAO and no one from outside may be able to shut down or remove the Nerve Gear from your head. If anyone attempts to do so, a transmitter inside the Nerve Gear will discharge a microwave signal into your skull, destroying your brain and ending your life." More murmurs go around.

"This has to be some sick, twisted joke. Why would someone do such a thing?" Rei questions as she begins getting worked up.

"Despite my warning, the families and friends of some players have attempted removing the Nerve Gear. An unfortunate decision, to say the least. As a result, the game now has two-hundred thirteen less players than when it began. They've been deleted from both Aincrad and the real world." My eyes open wide. Is that true..? The game's only just begun too. "As you can see, international media outlets have round up block coverage on everything, including the deaths. At this point, it's safe to assume the likelihood of a Nerve Gear being removed as minimal at best. I hope this brings you a little comfort as you try to clear the game." Comfort? How will this bring any type of comfort? "It's important to remember the following: there is no longer any way to revive someone within the game. If your Hp drops to zero, your avatar will be deleted from the system forever. And the Nerve Gear will simultaneously destroy your brain.

"No more re-spawning then..." I mumble as I look at the ground. _Dying is permanent death now..._

"There's only one way for a player to escape now. You must clear the game." Basically, clearing this is now everyone's first priority. "Right now, you're gathered on floor one, the lowest level of Aincrad. If you can get through the dungeon and defeat the boss, you may advance to the next floor. Defeat the boss on floor one hundred and you will clear the game."

"So we have to play and finish the game while avoiding death? Sounds a bit interesting..." I hear someone say behind me. That's easier said than done.

"Why should we believe any of the crap you're saying" Someone on my far right yells. I think I can answer this one. It's because of the simple fact that we can't log out. Anyone in the real world can accidentally kill us as well so what choice do we have? Sit and wait for someone else to finish the game for us? What good will that do when we can just do it ourselves?

"Last, but not least, I've placed a little present in the item storage of every player. Please, have a look" the cloaked one known as Akihiko says. I swipe my hand downward, clicking on the player tap and going to items. Inside it is an item called Mirror. I click on it and a mirror appears in front of me. I catch it and look at it, my avatar's face reflecting back at me. Following after, blue light surrounds me. Once it fades away, I look around. Nothing... happened?

"Cyrus?" Rei says. I turn to her and see... she looks just as she does in real life. Long pink hair, purplish blue eyes and three inches shorter than me. "Wait, your avatar changed into your real self. Is that what these mirrors did?" Seems it happened to everyone.

"Has to be. You look like your real self as well" I reply as I look into the mirror and see my short, messy white hair along with my red eyes and tan skin. This has to be the work of the Nerve Gear doing those calibrations and scans when you first put it on.

"Right now, you're probably wondering why. Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of Sword Art Online and Nerve Gear, do this?" Akihiko begins talking again. "Ultimately my goal was a simple one. The reason I created Sword Art Online was to control the fate of a world of my design. As you can see, I have achieved my goal. This marks the end of the tutorial and the official launch of Sword Art Online. Players, I wish you the best of luck." Red smoke begins flowing out of Akihiko's avatar as it falls down and disappears. The sky then turns back to normal.

Even after that, no one says a thing. Everyone stays quiet, staring straight at where Akihiko was. It's all over if we die... "Oh my god... No!" A girl screams as the sound of a mirror breaking is heard. After that, everyone begins panicking as well as raging.

"So we can actually... die" I hear Rei quietly say. I look at her to see her hugging herself while looking down, tear drops falling from her face. I put my hand on her shoulder and she looks up.

"That only means we have to be more careful than we would in other games" I start. "No gearless runs or itemless runs that'll usually get us severely hurt. Instead, we always head out once we've preemptively prepared ourselves." She sniffles and wipes her tears away, now smiling.

A red headed guy runs past us, heading to an alleyway that makes it easier to get to the field. "Excuse me" is what he says to a green haired girl who he slightly pushes to the side. He's probably a beta tester getting straight to work.

"Cyrus" Rei says. I look back at her. "I'm gonna go find my friends since they should be here by now. I'll also be making a guild soon so you're joining once I find you again." I look at her with a blank face as she requests to add me as a friend. "I'll send you a message if you wanna know when I'm coming for ya."

"No thanks, I'd rather it be a surprise since I have no choice." She giggles as I press the accept button and sigh.

"We'll be in touch later. Till then~!" She runs off into the crowd of people. I smile and go toward the alleyway, the same one near that green haired girl. I then take a right onto the central market, walk down that path and head into the field. Guess now I really have to be careful of what I do.

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 6  
Rei – Level 5

**_To Be Continued in chapter 2_**

**_Hope you enjoyed!_**


	2. Chapter 2: New Friends

**_Chapter two: New Friends_**

~Horunka village~

"Thank you so much. Now I can get back to my work" the NPC tells me as I give him the quest items, three bronze ingots, and walk away. I then check my progress so far now that I got that 30 exp to see that I'm level seven now. _If I keep this up, then I'll be ready for the Martial Arts quest,_ I think to myself. Just then someone bumps into me.

"Hey, watch where you're going" I say as I look and see that it's the green haired girl from back at the Plaza.

"Sorry! I got sandwich on your shirt" she begins apologizing. I look at my shirt to see there's nothing on it. She then pokes my nose. "Made ya look!" She begins giggling as I stare at her with a blank expression.

-The girl's point of view-

He begins walking away but I grab his arm. He looks over his shoulder at me, bored. "Don't be such a hard ass, I was only joking." I tell him and he pulls his arm free. "Can I at least buy you something to eat for bumping into you?"

"I guess?" he replies, obviously confused. I grin and make a 'V' with my fore and middle fingers. He groans as I lead him off.

* * *

I glance over and see the stranger eating his lunch slowly. It was some kind of meat bun. We were sitting on a bench and I sit there, swinging my feet to a song only I could hear. He looks over when I start humming. "What are you doing? You don't seem worried about our situation." he says all serious like. I stick my tongue out and shake my head.

"Why worry when I know I can't do anything about it? I'd rather make the best of it." I reply and smile at him. He just blinks at me. I squeak when someone pushes me off the bench. I fall on the ground face first. I sit up teary eyed and look over my shoulder to see someone sitting on the bench where I was.

The guy I bought lunch for was staring at the two of us confused. "Sorry, you were in my spot, little whore." the new comer says with a smile.

"Yeah right! I was there first!" I yell at him but he looks away from me.

"Last time I checked you were on the ground when I sat down." he replies.

"Cause you pushed me, isn't that right?" I ask the other guy. He just coughs and walks away. I pounce on him and pin him to the ground. My hair dangles in front of my face as I glare at him. He blinks at the clothes that were a little loose from the sudden body style change.

"While this is a... interesting sight, I would like to ask you to get off." he mutters more to himself than me. I frown and stand up. He pushes himself off the ground and dusts himself off. "Thank you."

"You're both jerks." I mutter and fold my arms over my chest. They both scratch their heads and look at me funny.

"If it's to stop this petty argument, is there something you need me for?" he asks before I decide to send them both a friend request.

"Accept those so I can sta- I mean... keep tabs on you both." I mumble loud enough so they can hear me. They both accept it.

~Cyrus' pov~

I accept the girl's, Lily, friend request and send one to the guy, Cross. "If that's all, then I'm needed elsewhere. Be seeing you both around" I say before walking away. I stop once I reach one of the local NPC's houses and knock on it.

Within the short wait, a lady opens the door. "...Hello there" she says. "Please, come in." I nod as she opens the door fully. I walk inside and have a quick look around. A couch and two chairs against the wall with a small wooden table sitting in front of it. I turn right to see the way leading to another room as well as a door next to it. "Would you like a cup of water? I would usually offer visitors food, but we have none at the moment." I hear the sound of a pot slightly boiling. Something's up.

"Sure. A cup of water sounds nice" I reply. She smiles as the sound of a child coughing is heard, which makes me turn to the door. '_So it isn't only her here.'_ I think to myself. I look back to the lady to see a crestfallen expression on her face. "Is she alright?"

"My daughter, the one you hear, has come down with a very bad illness. All the medicines I've used to cure her haven't work." An illness rejecting all available cures? This sounds familiar... "I recently found out that the only way to cure her is by medicine procured from the ovules of plants west of the village in the forest." Ah, so it's the Little Nepents I'm after. "Please. I can't-"I cut her off by holding up my hand.

"Say no more ma'am; I know exactly what I'm after now. I'll be back soon with your cure." Before, she's able to say anything; I'm already closing the door behind me. "Little Nepents are my new targets now huh?" I clench my fists and begin running toward the west. "Let's see how fast I can get this done."

~Western forest~

I stare at three Little Nepents in front of me. Tall plant creatures with roots for feet, two vines for arms, a light green body with red spots on it as well as a giant red-lipped mouth. The ones staring me down has a root and two leaves growing out of its head. "You guys aren't the one I need unfortunately. Looks like this'll be taking a bit" I say aloud for some reason. I draw my blade as they come closer.

I dodge two incoming vines by jumping into the air. The one in the middle is my first target. I charge up my sword, making it glow white, and strike right through it. I quickly turn around once I land and pierce through the one now on my right. I rip my blade out of its body and begin striking the last one. As they all break into a thousand pieces, two more show up. One of them holds a fruit on the top of its head. Simply perfect.

The one without the fruit is the first to come toward me. I run toward it, ready to test out this plan of mine. Its two vine arms come flying at me. I use my sword to parry them away then jump over it. I then use its head as a foothold and leap off of it. With a vertical slash, I cut both the fruit on top of the second one's head as well as it in half. I hear a strange noise coming from the fruit as I hear more Nepents heading in my direction. "Good, now we can truly get this done. I suppose I should count myself lucky to encounter the fruit this early" I say aloud once more.

-Lily's point of view-

I see people talking with NPCs left and right, probably trying to level up and better their chances... or something. I sigh at the thought of level grinding. That was never something I did in games but, it might be a bit different this time around.

That guy... he said if we died in-game, we'd die in real life too. A wave of despair hits me when I thought of the people I had unintentionally left behind. I was scared, I knew that... but something inside me was telling me that was a sick joke and not to worry about it. Just the thought of dying because of a game, it sent shivers down my spine.

I stroke the air and my menu opens up. I go to my character status page and I look at my current level. The number it showed was a six, and I was about halfway to a level up. _Just act like perma-death is on and be careful._ I told myself before approaching a woman at an herb stand.

"Hello there!" she exclaims happily, a complete contrast to the thoughts going through my mind. I wave back lazily, assuming she wouldn't be able to see that because of the fact that she was just a code.

"Do you have any errands that need running?" I ask her.

"I'm glad you asked, actually. I was wondering if you could head into the forest west of here and find me some herbs. I ran out of the ones I needed." After her line finishes, a prompt appears in front of me.

_Collect eight samples of tree moss._ I shudder at the thought of having to bend over and pull the stuff off of trees. Regardless, I accept and the NPC in front of me smiles wide. "Thank you very much! I'll make sure you're well rewarded for your time." she tells me before I head off for the forest.

~Cyrus' pov~

I pant heavily as I grasp the handle of my sword which is stabbed to the ground. I take a look at my health to see that I'm now in red. "To think they pushed me this far is surprising. It does, however, help with my regeneration skill, so I guess it isn't too bad" I say to myself. With the help of my sword, I pull myself up and swipe my hand downward, clicking on my inventory to see that I have what I was looking for. One of the Little Nepent's Ovule. I sheathe my sword and drink a potion.

"And so we meet again Cyrus" my new friend, Lily says. I turn around and see her holding what looks to be tree moss.

"And why are you here?" More importantly, why is she here while these Little Nepents are spawning? She looks down at her hands and then holds them out.

"Tree moss. I need eight of them for a quest." I nod my head in understanding. "My turn. Why're you exploring the forest?" I show her the Ovule I got recently. "Quest as well?" I nod.

"You really shouldn't be here though. I kinda killed a certain enemy and..." I trail off as I see the silhouette of a Little Nepent with its mouth open. It's going to... "Look out!" Off of pure instinct, I run over and push her out the way with my sword quickly glowing white. I then send it straight through the Nepent's mouth which ends with it breaking into a thousand pieces. I re-sheathe my sword and look at Lily who gives me a surprised look. "Just gotta be more careful now is all." I give her a reassuring smile as I help her up.

~Horunka village~

I knock on the door of the same house that lady lived in. After a moment's wait, she opens it with that same crestfallen expression. It immediately changes to a surprised one, however, once she sees me. "D-did you get it?" she asks. I smile and pull out a bottle containing orange liquid.

"I even had it brewed for you" I reply as I give her the cure. Her eyes light up as her facial expression changes to a smile.

"T-thank you so much! Wait here please. I have a gift to give you." She runs back into the house. If I remember correctly, I think my gift is... "Here you go. Please take this as a token of my appreciation. It's a sword that's been handed down in my family for the one who would bring back the ovules. I think it would be better off with you though." She gives me a sword with sharp edges running along the blade. The sword's blade itself had a black inside and white outside.

"Thank you ma'am. I wish both you and your daughter the best of luck." She smiles once more as me and Lily walk away. I unequip my old beginner sword and replace it with this new Anneal Blade. It disappears from my hands and appears sheathed on my back. "Now to move on and start going after bosses." A popup box appears in front of me with a blue circle and red x at the bottom. I look to the middle to see the message.

"_Kazama has requested to be your friend. Do you accept?" _The message read. My eyes widen as I stare at the message. Y-Yuji?!

"Is something wrong Cyrus?" Lily asks. I'm unable to speak due to what just happened. Why would he even...

"Ka... Kazama... You idiot!" I press the circle and the box disappears. I facepalm and let out a sigh. "Doesn't he know this game isn't safe anymore? Doesn't he know the game turned into a game of life and death..?"

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 9  
Cross – Level 11  
Lily – Level 6

**_To Be Continued in chapter 3_**


	3. Chapter 3: Prep for the Labyrinth

**_Chapter three: Prep for the Labyrinth_**

~Town of Beginnings. Cyrus' pov~

I lean against the side of a building, arms crossed and eyes closed. With me is Lily who decided to come with me after seeing Kazama randomly add me. "I never did ask..." she starts. I open one eye and look at her. "Who is Kazama?" How should I explain it without making him come off as a complete idiot..?

"He's a friend from school who usually plays these types of games with me" I respond as I look forward, seeing Kazama's face come into my line of sight. He smirks as he sees me turn my head away. "Why're you even here?"

"Is that any way to treat your two-on-two partner?" he asks. I remain silent as I avoid eye contact. "...Anyways, my mom told me about SAO being this bad death game and such. I didn't believe her and decided to check it out for myself." ...Is he serious?

I facepalm before facing him. "You do know she wasn't lying right? This really is a death game." A moment of silence passes by the three of us as he stares at me.

"Why didn't you tell me before I got on?!"

"Idiot! I'm locked in the game like you are right now, remember?!"

Another moment of silence passes by us. "We're... locked in the game?" I let out an over exaggerated sigh as I facepalm again.

-Lily's point of view-

I stare at this... Kazama guy. Is he for real? He really didn't know it was a trap? "Stupid." I mutter to myself. He turns to look at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Who's the short one?" he asks. My eye twitches in a surge of anger. I move to kick him but Cyrus stops me by putting a hand in front of me.

"The one accompanying me is Lily." he says as I glare at his back.

"She's not the prettiest thing around, is she?" he asks. Cyrus looks at me before lowering his hand. My hands were shaking in a futile attempt to hold myself back.

"You have permission to kick his ass." he mutters much to Kazama's shock.

"What did I do?!" he yells in disbelief before I introduce my fist to his face. He staggers and looks at me scared. My face was red because I was mad and I turn and run off, tears streaming down my cheeks.

-Town square-

I sit against a building with my knees close to my chest. I was angry at Kazama for what he said as well as utterly dumbfounded that he _actually _went into the game voluntarily after getting warned.

"Hey uh... is everything okay?" I hear someone ask and I look up to see someone with icy blue eyes looking at me. I turn my gaze to the ground. I hear him sigh as he sits next to me.

"I want to be alone." I tell him. He just looks at me and a small smile graces his face.

"I'm just asking because you seem upset." he replies as he sets his hand on the ground next to me. A few moments pass and he lifts his arm again. He brushes my arm lightly which causes me to jump up and step back.

"Don't touch me." I tell him and he gets up as well.

"If you let me help, I will." he replies and grabs my left wrist. I wrench it away and step back again.

"I said don't." I tell him before he grabs my upper arms. I writhe and twist, attempting to break his grip. "Stop it!" I yell before I notice his face getting closer to mine. "Let go of me!" I shout.

~Cross' pov~

I watch as the sky blue hair guy has his way with Lily. To think this is the same girl who yelled at me for pushing her out of her seat. Turns out she's nothing but talk. I feel a tap on my shoulder, probably from some random. I turn and see that Cyrus guy with another person. "What."

"Just how long are you going to watch?" he asks. I look back at Lily and the other guy then back to Cyrus.

"Just until they get to the good part. Then I'll be on my way." He sighs and then both of them walk toward Lily and her new friend. I decide to follow them for the fun of it.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself sir." Cyrus' tone of voice causes the blue haired guy to jump a bit before letting Lily go. Lily, taking this chance, runs over and hides behind Cyrus. "Did I interrupt something?"

"O-oh, nothing important. I was just helping a lost girl get over her sadness" he tries to explain. Lily points her finger at the guy.

"He tried to violate me!" she shouts. Silence passes by all of us as Lily's finger stays pointed at the creeper.

"...I'm going to guess you're her friend, right?" Cyrus nods. "You should tell her to watch herself. There are some creepy people around these parts." A smug look goes across his face as he walks away. Talk about being more than a creep.

"I hate creeps like that. Hopefully we don't see him again" the stranger with us says. In his defense, he did nothing horribly wrong. As he said, he was only helping her get over her sadness.

I watch as Lily falls to her knees. The two next to her turn and offer her a hand. "You okay?" Cyrus asks while they pull her up. She nods slowly and I turn my gaze in the direction that guy left. "Lily don't run off like that again, or else this is going to happen again... maybe something worse." he warns her.

"S-Sorry..." she mutters. I feel myself gag slightly at the scene I just witnessed. "I promise I won't run again."

"I wonder..." I think to myself before leaving in the same direction as the defiler of women.

-One month later. December 3rd, 2022. Lily's point of view-

My finger twitches slightly. I was in the local marketplace searching around for better gear. Cyrus was waiting semi-patiently for me so we could go to the field and search for the labyrinth thingie. I decide on getting a slightly better dagger and repairing the armor I had that was still decently effective.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather... stay here, where it's... you know, safe?" he asks before I turn around with my hands on my hips.

"I'm coming." I tell him with a stern expression. He opens his mouth to protest, before I cut him off. "Don't care." I say. He shrugs and starts walking away. I tackle him and pin him to the ground.

"This again?" he asks. I nod and roll off of him. I stretch out a hand, which he takes and I pull him back to his feet. He looks at me and I just smile at him cutely. He rubs the back of his head nervously.

"W-Well then... let's uh... let's just go?" he says and we start walking. I have a slight bounce to my step and I'm humming to myself quietly. "S-so us does you habe a stury to shure abitur lif before thes insident?" he stammered. I look at him shocked.

"Did you forget how to speak properly in the last fifteen seconds?" I ask him. He clears his throat as his face explodes in a red color.

"I-I mean... w-what did you do before this thing happened?" he asks after regaining basic speech skills.

"Well... I was a five star prostitute that nobody could afford and I was the best singer in my year." I tell him sarcastically. He stops and looks at me, completely and utterly shocked. "Just kidding..." I mutter, just as shocked that he believed me.

"You scared me." Cy sighs a massive sigh of relief. Did I just nickname him..?

"I was just your average ordinary person." I tell him honestly, which he responds to with a raised eyebrow.

"How about your social life? Something interesting must have happened there." he replies with mild interest. Social life..? I put a finger to my chin and close my eyes in thought.

"I spent the entirety of my free time playing video games. But there was one thing that might be worth sharing." I say and open my eyes. I see him making a gesture for me to continue. "There was this... guy... who kind of asked me out. I said yes and we started seeing each other a few months before SAO came out. Then... well... this happened." I explain somewhat sadly. Cyrus frowns slightly before nodding his head in acknowledgement.

"I see."

~Near the first floor Labyrinth. Cyrus' pov~

The remainder of our walk consists of us both remaining silent. I let out a small, unnoticeable sigh. It's always like this when I'm alone with a girl who I barely know. I begin tripping over my own words, resulting in me stuttering and sounding like a complete fool. _Man I wish something would happen to relieve us of this awkwardness_, I silently pray in my thoughts as I begin scanning the area. It was at this moment when the one who touched Lily shows his face.

"We meet again" the creep says with a smile growing on his face. I mentally facepalm as I look back at him. _I wanted something to relieve the awkwardness, not make it worse, _I think as I glance at Lily who's glaring at him.

"What do you want?" she asks. Before the creep speaks, Lily speaks again. "And don't say you're helping." He clears his throat.

"I wasn't going to say that. I was gonna ask how you two are doing." And why would he want to know about our mood?

"Simply peachy" I reply randomly. Well, not really peachy. I was embarrassed earlier so peachy isn't really the right word to use. Oh well. "And yourself?"

"Don't be polite to him!" Lily retorts. I slightly jump at her hostility. The creep lets out a small chuckle before responding.

"No need to be so hostile. Where are you two heading?" he asks with that dirty smile of his disappearing. Should we tell him? I glance at Lily to see her slightly shake her head no.

"To a place where people don't know about. Or maybe we're just taking a walk through the forest. One or the other" I reply. His look changes to a frown. Hopefully he won't get the wrong idea.

"Looking for some alone time?" I remain silent and take a quick look at Lily to see her blush. Now things are getting awkward again. "Just kidding. You guys are looking for the labyrinth, right?" I slowly nod. "I thought so. I want to get out of this game as much as you two. If you don't mind my asking, can I join you?"

"Well I don't really mind but it's mostly up to Lily." I look at her to see her keep a look of caution. "You're ok with that, right?"

"As long as he keeps his hands to himself I guess" she responds and the creep smiles. Not a dirty smile, but a friendly one.

"Sorry to be rude, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Vile" he says. "By chance, are you two in a guild yet?"

"No actually. We're just in a party and-"my sentence gets cut off by the sudden squealing from a feminine voice. Before I can react in any way possible, I find myself being forced to the ground.

"Found you!" the feminine voice says. I know that voice way too well. "Now you shall submit to the party that is calling your heart." Rei never fails at having her entrances be... 'Unique.'

"I'll answer that call whenever my face isn't one with the dirt." Rei slowly gets off and I push myself back onto my feet. I wipe my face off and turn around to Rei accompanied by Kazama and another girl with blonde hair and purple eyes. "I'm guessing these two are already in the party?"

"Yup, and now we're waiting on you!" I let out a sigh. "Oh, do you two also want to join?" I see her look at Lily and Vile as she says that.

"Sure" Lily replies. I see her eye slightly twitch. Is she jealous of something?

"I would love to join" Vile responds.

"Great. First off" Rei says as she turns toward me. "Invite us all to a party Cyrus." Why'd I just know she was going to make me the party leader? "Second, you guys wanna go to the labyrinth? We found it not too long ago, but didn't go in." So while I was out watching Lily find some new gear, she was out searching for the labyrinth? Same old Rei. Always rivaling me in terms of searching for things.

"We were just about to go explore it actually. Since they're six of us now, it'll be a full party" I reply. A smirk goes across Kazama face as he walks over and puts his arm around my neck, resulting in a headlock.

"Just leave everything to me and my PvP partner. If we can achieve SSS rank in a matter of a week, we can take the frontlines with no problem" Kazama says, pulling me a bit closer as he continues. His lock around my neck also begins getting tighter. "We might even be the ones to beat the game given how badass we are!" He's getting way ahead of himself.

I manage to pull my head out of his lock and sigh in relief. "Anyways... I'll add you four to the party" I say while rubbing my neck. Kazama chuckles as I glance at my health bar. That headlock took 20 health points away. As I add the four to our party, I hear the sound of a slap and footsteps going in the opposite direction I'm facing. I turn around, seeing Kazama rubbing his face and Vile watching Lily storm off.

"What did I do this time!?"

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 17  
Cross – Level 23  
Lily – Level 12  
Rei – Level 13  
Vile – Level 22  
Kazama – Level 14  
Blonde girl/Yumiko – Level 11

**_To Be Continued in chapter 4_**

**_Answering to last chapter's reviews :D_**

**Crystalline13 - **Glad you like it so far and I hope you'll like it further on!

**Yukimoko - **You are indeed correct about Yuji being Cy's friend. As the story goes on, you'll find out that he's an idiot and... well, idiots do idiotic things.


	4. Chapter 4: The First Labyrinth

**_Chapter Four: The First Labyrinth_**

-Labyrinth Entrance, Lily's point of view-

I wasn't sure how long I had been running, but... by the time that I stopped I was in front of what had to be the labyrinth's entry point. I shake my head and clench my fist in frustration. I had seen Cyrus check his hp after that headlock, so I wasn't the only who noticed it had fallen.

"Lily!" I hear Cy yell from behind me. I turn to face him and he, quite surprisingly, tackles me to the ground. I blink in shock and look at him funny.

"Didn't you promise to stop running away?" he asks me before getting off. He holds out a hand, which I take, and he pulls me up. I nod at his first question. "Why did you even run off in the first place?"

"Um... I-I'd rather not say in front of an audience." I mutter in response. I rub my arm nervously and look at him apologetically. He nods and looks at the other four running our way.

~Kazama's pov~

I stop running and look at Lily, who's currently looking at Cyrus. "Hey uh... Lily" I say. Her gaze turns toward me and immediately becomes a scowl. Why is she so hostile toward me? "I'd like to apologize for... whatever I did this time." She doesn't say a word. All she does is turn her head, looking away from me. "H-hey, c'mon! I didn't mean it, really!"

"So this is where it was" Cyrus says as he looks at the Labyrinth. "It's completely different from the place it was back in the beta. No wonder I couldn't find it..." He turns around and faces us. "So, is everyone ready?" I, along with everyone else, nod. "Well then, let's go."

~Inside the Labyrinth~

The inside of this labyrinth, like the beta, was already splitting into two light green roads. If I'm correct, both should lead to the middle where a safe area is. "Two roads huh?" Rei questions as she looks around. This labyrinth consists of giant stone thingies out of reach and away from the roads, making them pointless. Everywhere we looked was dark with only the colorful lights from platforms and carvings in the stone blocks to show us the way. "Alright guys, here's the plan. Anyone have a plan?"

"Three left, three right?" Lily suggests. Everyone looks over at her and she looks at the ground.

"Good plan girl" Vile says as his hand swings downward, smacking Lily's butt. Her face blows up red as she turns around and punches Vile in the face. She then runs over and hides behind Cyrus. "Worth!"

"...Anyways, I'll pick the groups. Me, Cyrus and Vile will take the left path while Lily, Kazama and Yumiko take the right. Is everyone fine with that?" This'll be my chance to make it up to Lily. If I keep her out of danger, maybe she'll forgive me! "Kazama?" I look at Rei who seems to be calling me. "Are you alright with these teams?"

"Of course I am. Even without my PvP partner by my side, we'll still be the ones to make it to the safe zone first!" I exclaim. I see Cyrus give me a bored expression.

"Even though you were carried most of those fights?" he asks. I freeze up and turn the other way, rubbing my head with a shaky hand.

"L-let's avoid talking about that, kay?" He chuckles and I hear multiple footsteps leaving us. I turn around to see them already going down their path. "I promise to keep you two safe!" I exclaim loudly as Yumiko giggles. Lily just starts walking silently.

-Lily's point of view-

While I was glad I wasn't teamed with that pervert, I wasn't so sure I was happy with going with Kazama and this... Yumiko. The two were having a mild conversation I cared nothing for, but at least they were quiet about it.

I notice our path branches to the left and right. I bring up my menu with a swish of my hand and equip a notebook and pencil. "It's been a straight path since we've split up, so the only turn we've made was a right." I murmur under my breath and write the numbers 1 - 15 to start. I glance to my left and see Kazama leaning over my shoulder. I make a note of the first turn being a right.

"What are you doing?" he asks me. I turn to face him and his face was confused.

"I'm making a map... of sorts." I tell him. After the words '_right turn_' I write an E.

"What are you writing?"

I show him the book. "The first note means we took a right turn on the first branch after entering. So, if I write down a 'T' it means it branched off. An 'X' means it was a dead end."

"Oh..." he says, like he still didn't understand.

"Alright, let's head to the right." I tell them and lead them down the path.

"You know... the map fills itself, right?" Yumiko says to me. I feel an eyebrow twitch.

"I was trying to use my brain." I mutter to myself before I unequip the notebook. Just then a big bipedal rabbit showed up. Its tail was longer than an average bunny and it was very... very muscular. It snorted before raising a hand axe.

"Time to strut my stuff." Kazama says. He readies his sword and shield. I notice his sword requires two hands. I blink at him. Does he realize using it with just one hand effectively halved the damage output? Before I could bring this up though, he charges the beast. I facepalm at his battle cry.

"You dumbass, that's a two handed sword." I say which stops him in his tracks. He opens his inventory while the beast starts lumbering toward him.

"Oh." he says and the thing kicks him in the chest. I facepalm again. His health bar drops into the yellow and I draw my dagger. I run toward the monster, narrowly dodging the swing from its axe. I stab it in the chest and it raises an arm. I pull out my dagger and jump back before it punches the ground in front of it.

Yumiko rushes in with her spear ready. She stabs the beast's arm. Kazama, after recovering, swings his sword. It sliced the monster in half, resulting in an explosion of light particles. I sheathe my dagger and look at the two.

"Good job, Kazama! You looked so cool." Yumiko exclaims loudly. I feel the color drain from my face. He looked so stupid. I didn't say anything because all I wanted to do was make sure the three of us got to the safe area safely. I open my inventory and see that I only had one Health Potion left.

"Hey, Kazama, use this." I say and toss the potion to him. He looks at it and then looks at me.

"You sure? I don't want to take it if this is your last one." he says.

"I've got enough." I say and hold up my hands. He uses it and his health bar refills.

"Thanks Lily!" He responds and grins at me. I simply nod, resuming our expedition.

"Let's just... keep moving, okay?" I tell them. They follow me as I start walking again.

-An hour later-

A few more encounters with the monsters was the only thing keeping me on my toes. Yumiko was literally hanging off of Kazama's arm the entire time. We run into a dead end and I sigh before leaning on it. "Have we found all the dead-ends yet?" I groan. I was starting to feel exhausted.

Our map must've looked like a Tetris board played by four year olds. I look at all the red 'x' marks I made, eight if I counted right. We had to be close... we just had to be.

"Let's go the other way... again." Yumiko tells us in an impatient tone and Kazama nods. I didn't see _her_ leading us the _right_ way. "Besides I want to see those two cuties again." she adds, which makes my blood boil for some reason. I push myself off the wall and I look to my left. Looking back at me was none other than that creeper.

Kazama looks over his shoulder at me. "You coming, Lily?" he asks but I shake my head no and point in the direction I was facing. I walk toward him and see Cyrus crouching next to Rei.

~Cyrus' pov~

"It's about time you all showed up" Rei says as she gets up and walks over to the other three. I stand up and stretch my arms out.

"Did something happen?" Lily asks, slightly worried. I shake my head no.

"Other than Kazama dropping to yellow and losing the race, nothing happened" I reply. I look over at Kazama to see him nervously rubbing his head again. "Anyways, since we reached the rest area, we should head back to town." I pull out six blue crystals, distributing one to everyone. "Teleport, Tolbana." A light blue light engulfs my body, teleporting me to my destination.

~Tolbana city~

I appear in the middle of town with the other five following shortly. "Now that we're back in town, we've got some business to take care of. Kazama, Yumiko, come with me" Rei announces. They both nod and walk off with Rei as all three of them leave the party.

"I have a few... things to take care of as well. I'll catch you two around later" Vile says as he goes in the other direction while also leaving the party. He's probably going to flirt with some other girl. I turn my look to Lily who's staring at me.

"Are you leaving as well?" I ask curiously. She shakes her head no. Why does she stick around me so much? What's so special about me?

"Okay people! Now that everyone's here, let's get this meeting started" I hear an unfamiliar voice say. What meeting is going on? For some reason, I begin walking toward the place where the meeting is. Lily follows behind like always. I stop once I'm looking down at the one talking.

"I guess listening to this won't be too bad..." I mutter loud enough to be more than a whisper.

"So anyway, I wanna thank everyone for coming. Good to see you. My name is Diavel and in this game..." the one named Diavel hits his chest plate with his fist, "the job I role is Knight." People begin laughing as others begin talking among themselves.

"Dude, there's no job system in this game" someone from the crowd says. He's right with saying that.

"I don't get it" I hear Lily say. I turn around to see her looking at me with a confused look. I smile at her as I look back at the others.

"Don't worry, it wasn't even funny" I reply.

"You guys wanna hear this or not?" Diavel asks. The talking settles down and the atmosphere seems to change somehow. "Right. Anyway, here's the deal. Our party found the boss room at the top of the tower today." A series of gasps and murmurs swim across the crowd. "First, we need to defeat the boss and make it to floor two. The next step is, we have to tell everyone waiting in the Town of Beginnings that it is possible to beat this game! Fact is, it's our duty as the most capable players here. Do you agree or not?" More murmurs go through the crowd.

Within a short timeframe, the clapping starts with more following after. "Okay!" Diavel continues. This seems more like an announcement rather than a meeting. "Glad to hear you're all with me on this."

"I don't even know what's going on..." I hear Lily talk again. This time I chuckle a bit.

"Now, let's figure out how we're going to defeat the boss. First off, we'll team up into parties of six. A typical party doesn't stand a chance against a floor boss. We need a raid group, made up of multiple parties." After a moment of people sending their invites, Diavel continues his speech. "Alright, looks like everyone's teamed up. Now then-"he's then cut off by the sound of an already annoying voice.

"Hold up a sec!" some guy from the top of the steps says as he jumps down, stopping once he reaches Diavel. "My name's Kibaou, got that?" This guy just screams asshole.

"He seems like such an asshole" Lily says. That we can agree on.

"Before we take on the boss, I wanna get something off my chest!" Great, he has more to say. "We all know about the two-thousand people who died so far, yeah? Well some of you need to apologize to them right now." He points his finger toward some people in the crowd. What's he getting at?

"Kibaou, I think I know who you're referring to" Diavel says. "You mean the ones who're ex-beta testers, right?" This isn't looking good...

"Course I mean them! The day this stupid ass game started, the beta guys just up and vanished right? They ditched all us beginners! They snagged all the good hunting spots and they grabbed all the easy quests too. They were the only ones getting stronger in here. This whole time, they ignored us like we're nothin'. Hell, I bet there's some of 'em here! Come on out beta testers! We should make them apologize to us. And we should make them give up their money AND the items they got! They can't expect a party to trust them when they don't trust us. Why should we?" My hand balls up into a fist. _Man, I really wanna hurt this guy_ I think to myself.

"By the way" Lily starts. I calm myself before raising an eyebrow. "What did you do before we got trapped?"

Before I'm able to turn to her, however, I feel something push into me which results me and whatever falling down. "Get out of my spot" I hear Cross say. I look and see him standing while Lily's on me once more. With a sigh, I manage to stand up while helping Lily up at the same time.

-Cross' point of view-

I sit where that snowball was previously. His little friend was helping him up. Before she got him back to his feet, I rest _my_ feet on his back. "I'm sorry, but I think I pushed someone over again." I say which makes that girl glare at me. I hear people around me but I couldn't care any less about what they were doing.

"What's your deal Cross?" she asks and I grin to myself.

"You know... this, that and the other thing." I tell her and a vein pops in her head. I see a comeback forming in her mouth but I stop her. "Tsk, tsk little girl. I'm only joking. Kind of." I say and move my feet off his back. He stands up and looks at me.

"I don't appreciate being your footstool, Cross." he says to me. I look at him with an excessively bored expression.

"Did I ask your opinion?" I tell him before standing up. I turn to leave but Lily puts her hand on my shoulder. I respond by pushing her into Cyrus. I walk away as the two scramble to get off each other and upright.

-Cyrus' point of view-

Both mine and Lily's faces were red, utterly embarrassed and for some reason she was glaring at me. "S-So... um... t-that happened..?" Lily asks. She's there hugging herself, in an attempt to feel secure... I think? I cough to try and decide to try and clear the air.

"Did you want to ask me anything about... well, me?" I ask before she looks at me from the corner of her eye.

"Um... sure, I guess?" she replies hesitantly. I was just trying to help, why was she... oh wait I know why she's acting like this. "What did you do before we got trapped?" I clear my throat before responding.

"Well just like you, most of my free time was spent playing video games. It was mostly because every time I did, I felt more alive than I would in real life. Most games I played were with Kazama. He calls me his PvP partner as a result of us getting SSS ranks and ranking first in the 2v2 tournaments we did. Life outside games was decent I guess. I did have friends who I'd talk to and all, but I would mostly only talk to them at school. And yeah... that's pretty much it."

"Any," Lily starts but stops herself. She starts fidgetting, for some reason.

"Use your words." I prompt her to continue her thought.

"Any... relationships..?" she murmurs under her breath. I feel my voice catch in my throat. I quickly look away. Why did she want to know?!

"There were a few girls." I reply.

"Anything within the last few months?" she asks, pressing the issue. Why was she asking?

"Well, yeah... but this game kind of ruined that opportunity." I tell her. Why is she so concerned with this right now? My face pales at a sudden, slightly scary thought. W-Was she...

"Was it... Rei?" Huh? My mind completely blanks.

"What do you mean was it Rei?"

"You just seem to like her, is all." Okay, Lily was definitely jealous before then.

"Well... um... Kazama's interested in her, so I abstain from the question?" I reply, not quite sure how to respond to this accusation. Lily looks at me blankly. What more does she want from me? She's kinda pushing it. "Why do you ask?" I ask, hoping to find the real reason. I was answered with her silence.

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 24  
Cross – Level 27  
Lily – Level 17  
Rei – Level 19  
Vile – Level 28  
Kazama – Level 18  
Yumiko – Level 16

**_To Be Continued in chapter 5 _**

**_Review answering time :D _****_(Answered by Dark today)_**

**FallingAeon **- She does get left in the dark.


	5. Chapter 5: Reap What You Sow

**_Chapter Five: Reap what you Sow_**

-One month later on the twenty-second floor. January 5th, 2023. Lily's point of view-

I stare at my open menu, idly flicking through it. My mind was actually on a conversation that took place a couple of weeks ago. _"Why do you ask?"_ Cy's words echo through my mind. Why did I ask, anyway? Maybe I was just trying to be friendly... I don't know. A sigh escapes me; he left with Kazama to go farming for materials while Rei and Yumiko were busy buying the guild house. I wasn't even sure how I got roped into joining one.

I look over my shoulder and see that creep, Vile standing behind me... smiling for some reason. "Didn't I tell you to go do something else? I don't need to be monitored all day." I tell him, hoping he'd take the hint.

"Then I wouldn't be able to bask in the light that is your beauty." he says. I blink at him and shudder. Next thing I knew, he had me pinned to the ground. I try shaking him off, but his grip was too strong. "Now, allow me to show you real pleasure."

"Get off!" I yell at him, before he forces his mouth upon mine. I see someone's foot connect with Vile's side and he flops over. I take this time to scramble to my feet and run a good distance away.

"You really are a creeper." I hear Cross say. I look over and see him with his hands in his pockets. His red haired ruffled in a generated breeze. "Don't you know forcing yourself onto a girl isn't any good?"

"I was just showing how passionate I am about her." he replies and I grind my teeth together. Stealing a kiss is showing your passion? I call bullshi- but before I can finish my thought, Rei runs up and throws her arm around my neck.

"What up, girl?!" she exclaims loudly and Cross looks at her disgusted. Rei opens her menu with her free hand and I get an alert shortly after. "What are you three doing?" she asks, probably noticing the other two here.

"Admiring the view." Vile says with a wave of his hand. I hear Cross cough.

"Searching for entertainment." the red-haired guy says and walks off, but not before he gets an invite from Rei. "Why?" he asks and accepts the offer. He walks away before Rei can stop him, but Yumiko chases after him. I see Vile tap a button himself before he leaves as well.

_Probably because he can't have his way with me now._ I think to myself before Rei circles me. She leans forward, hands on her hips.

"Can I... help you with something?" I ask, kind of cautiously. I didn't need someone else invading my personal space today.

"Guildie bonding time!" she tells me. Okay..?

-Somewhere around town, Rei's point of view-

I look over at Lily. She looks so... stressed about something. Rather than pry I keep myself quiet. "If you don't mind my asking, how old are you?" I say in an attempt to get her to brighten up.

"I turned 17 the day this game launched... it was the present I got, actually." she replies. "What about you?"

"I'm 16." I tell her with a smile. Her expression picks up a bit.

"And you were born in Japan?" she asks and I nod. "I was born and raised in America, but my parents had to move for business." I give her a sideways look.

"Really?! You speak Japanese so well!" I blurt out in surprise.

"Thanks... my parents aren't very fluent, so they tend to stick to English." she replies with a nervous chuckle. I stop in front of an NPC run food stand. The vendor smiles at me.

"Want anything?" I ask but Lily shakes her head. I buy a loaf of bread and we continue walking.

"So, that's why you used English characters on your screen name?" I inquire before taking a bite of my bread. She nods and looks at me.

"Rei's just your IGN as well, right?" she asks. I nod in response. I take another bite. "Wha-" Lily starts to say before I notice Kazama approaching.

"Ahoy there!" he says loudly. Lily looks around, like she lost something.

"Where's Cy... rus?" she says. Why did I hear a slight pause between syllables?

"Um... Last I checked he was right behind me..." Kazama mutters. He rubs the back of his head. I sigh heavily.

"I assume you were on this floor?" Lily asks. Kazama swipes his hand downward and clicks on his map.

"Well we were around here... and there... and a bit on the twenty-first floor..." he replies, his voice lowing with each word.

"So what you're saying is you don't know, right?" I inquire. His response is an innocent laugh.

"Oh c'mon Rei. This is good ol' Cyrus we're talking about. He plays just fine with soloing so he should be fine on his own. Don'tcha think so Lily?" he now questions Lily to which she remains silent.

~Twenty-first floor. Cyrus' pov~

I blankly stare forward at the open orangish sky, dragging my sword along the rocky road I walked on. After running into a few wolves and other monsters, Kazama and I ended up getting separated. I told him I'd lead some in a different direction while he went back to the twenty-second to tell the others. I wonder if he's even gotten there yet.

...

I stab my sword into the ground and lean against the rocky wall to my left. With the downward swipe of my hand, I open up the menu screen. I navigate my way to my friends list, spotting Kazama's name still there, not greyed out like those who'd be dead. At least he made it there alive. I then check my inventory to see that I'm out of Teleportation crystals.

I close my menu and push myself off the wall. _I need to my way back to the village_, I tell myself before grabbing my sword. I receive a message and I re-open the menu. It's from Kazama too.

_"Hey Cyrus,_

_I got back to the twenty-second floor and told the others. We'll wait for you before we try to find the labyrinth._

_Also, Lily vanished and Rei seems to think she went to look for you. So keep an eye out for her."_

I stare at the message in silence. Lily really should have stayed put. I create my own message to send to her.

**_Go back to town, I'll be fine._**

After it sends, I start walking again. A few moments later, I get a new one.

_"No."_

I blink at her short, blunt response. Is she serious? I click on the reply button and type out my message.

**_I'll be back shortly, just wait for me there._**

Hopefully she'll listen this time. Another reply comes in.

_"Lemme thi-NO!"_

My eye twitches. I look at the text with a blank expression. Let's see if this'll work.

**_If you don't go back to town, I'll purposely kill myself._**

A few minutes passes without any response. I sigh in relief. _Did she listen that time?_ I ask myself, hoping she did. I start walking the next town for itd Teleport gate. Another message, from Rei this time, pops up.

_"Um... Cyrus?_

_Could you please hurry back..?_

_Lily hasn't come back yet and I'm starting to get worried."_

I inhale sharply. Why, why, why, why? Why doesn't she listen to me? I continue walking for a little bit longer. "Cyyyyyyyyyyruuuuuuuuuuuuuus!" I hear the distant shout and my face instantly pales. Really? Is she serious?

My fears are confirmed when I see someone running toward me. Before I know it, I could make out the green in Lily's hair in the setting sun's light. She trips on something and slides to a stop a few feet in front of me. I blink at the anti-climactic entrance. "Really?" I ask her as the dust settles around her.

"Yes, you idiot." she replies and stands up. She dusts herself off.

"I told you to wait for me, several times. Why don't you listen?"

"Because... Vile forced himself on me." I raise an eyebrow.

"Care to explain?" She rubs her arm and looks away.

"He kissed me" she mumbles. At least, that's what I think I hear. I could be wrong however. Oh well.

"Well... to change the subject, we should head back. The others are worried about you suddenly disappearing and it's almost dark out." I swipe downward and go to my inventory. "It'll be easier if we telepor..." my sentence breaks down once I realize I'm still out of Teleportation crystals."Actually, I'm gonna walk back! You should teleport though so the others aren't worried."

"You're walking, I'm walking" is her response. I shake my head no and show her the message I received from Rei, basically telling her to go back _right_ away. Maybe she'll take this hint? She goes through her inventory and two teleportation crystals appear in her hands. She passes one to me. I mentally hug her for not letting me walk.

"Thanks. Teleport Coral village." Within seconds, a light blue light engulfs my body, teleporting me to my destination.

~Kazama's pov~

"Any word from Cyrus?" I ask Rei. She seemed a bit tense over the fact that he wasn't back yet. Now that Lily has gone missing too just makes it worse. She shakes her head no while letting out a sigh. "Like I said before, he'll be fine. Do you really think he'd just die so easily?" She doesn't respond to that which makes me sigh.

"Any word from my beloved?" I hear Vile ask. I look back at him to see he too has a worried face. Is he actually worried about her?

"Yo!" I hear my partner's voice. I look to the right to see him walking alongside Lily. _So they did run into each other. That's good._ "You guys wait long?"

"Yes" Cross replies as he walks pass Vile. He then crosses his arms as he watches Rei get up and run toward the two.

"Cyrus!" Rei shouts as she tackles him to the ground. My eye twitches but I quickly shake my head, trying not to think of this.

"Lily!" Vile says as he runs toward Lily. He jumps at her, in an attempt to glomp her. She sidesteps and he crashes into the ground. _Damn... he tried. _I think to myself.

"I'm glad you're both safe, but that was reckless of you both!" Rei yells at the two. They both flinch at her sudden harsh tone.

"I was... gathering... things... though." Cyrus defends himself which makes Rei stop and think.

"Okay! Lily you were reckless!" Lily flinches again. "And as punishment, you will be under close watch for six days. And we will ALL, that means you too Cross," Rei says and Cross looks at absolutely shocked, "take a day and make sure she doesn't leave your sight. She does have the highest Hiding skill out of all of us."I look over to Lily and see her rubbing her arm in embarrassment. "Does that sound fair to everyone?" Everyone, including the accused, nods. Why would she agree to this?

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 30  
Cross – Level 33  
Lily – Level 25  
Rei – Level 24  
Vile – Level 35  
Kazama – Level 26  
Yumiko – Level 22

**_To Be Continued in chapter 6_**

_**And now for the answers to those reviews. :D (Answered today by Strat)**  
_

**FukoShima - **We are considering that actually :)

**FallenAeon - **He sure is (*A*)b

**Xeingz - **Your guess is not that far off =A=


	6. Chapter 6: Relationships

**_Spoiler warning: This is one of those character building chapters :D_******

**_Chapter Six: Relationships_**

~Revenance Guild House in Coral village. Cyrus' pov~

"Okay everyone; we'll now start the watch for Lily. The person who'll watch her first will stay here and… ya know, watch her. Everyone else will just go on with their lives" Rei tells us. I yawn as I watch her think about something. "Any volunteers or are we going to settle this with rock, paper, scissors?" I see Vile open his mouth to say something, but Kazama talks first.

"I'll watch her for today" he says and then looks at me. Why do I feel as though he's going to say something stupid? "Partner, don't worry at all. I'll keep her safe for you." I blankly stare at him as he holds his hand up for a high five. "C'mon, you know you wanna." _I really don't…_ I sigh and walk away from him. "Don't leave me hanging!"

"This whole thing is stupid…" I hear Cross mutter. I knew something like this would happen with Rei as the guild master, so I guess I kinda feel bad for him? Well, not really after what he did. Eh, he'll manage. I leave the guild house and stare at the openness which is this floor.

"I need better gear…" slips out of my mouth. I look to my side and see Vile walking out of the guild house, a sad look on his face. "You okay?"

"Uh… Does it look like I'm okay?" he asks with a crestfallen look. I scratch my head and think for a sec.

"To get your mind off it, mind joining me for a bit of grinding? You could earn some col and buy Lily a gift." He wraps his arms around me which makes me feel more violated than confused. What the hell is he doing?! "Uh… Vile?"

"I love you right now" is his response. I shudder at this. He then lets go while smiling at me. _I feel so dirty now… _runs through my head. _I can see why Lily wants to keep away from this guy._ "Shall we go make some beautiful memories?" My eye twitches as he drags me off by my hand. _Why did I even offer him to join me in grinding?_

-Coral Village, Lily's point of view-

While I appreciate that Kazama is the first to watch me, I couldn't help but feel a bit of an annoyance. We sit on a bench a few feet from a local drink vendor and a plan hatches in my mind. "Hey, Kazama, can you buy me something to drink?" I ask him, hoping he'll say yes. He, instead opens his menu, and shortly after I get an alert. He sent me... water. There goes that plan.

"Don't worry, I came prepared!" he says loudly. I sigh before the bottle appears before me. I open it and take a sip.

"Thanks..." I tell him. He nods and grins at me. I set the water next to me and silence passes between the two of us.

-A Few Hours Later-

We're still on the same bench. By now I was bored out of my skull. So I sit with my knees tucked to my chest. In an attempt to entertain myself I was constantly opening, closing, then re-opening my menu.

"When do you want to go do something?" I ask him, failing to keep any trace of boredom out of my voice. He shrugged and looked over at me.

"The others should be back soon, so do you want to go meet them at the village entrance?" he suggested. I shake my head. I highly doubt any of them would be on their way back, only after a few hours.

"Want to go looking at new equipment?" I ask and he nods, surprisingly. He stands up as I put my feet back on the ground. He offers a hand to help me up. I push myself into a standing position. "I appreciate the sentiment, but no thanks." I tell him and he just chuckles.

"Not a worry, Lily, not a worry." I start walking, with him right behind me. _Someone's taking the 'watch her' part literally._ I think to myself with a sigh. I look up at the sky. _It's already past midday..._ the thought passes through my mind. Were we really sitting there that long?

"Are you really okay, just losing a day like this? Now you're a day behind Cyrus." I say, with obvious hope to start a conversation.

"That doesn't matter, he's going to lose a day's worth of experience as well." he replies and I blink at him. _That's... actually pretty smart, coming from him I mean._

"I see." I reply. When I look at him, he's facing an NPC vendor. He does know this is a jewelry shop... right? I see a small display appear in front of him. I manage to read from around his arm. I notice he's looking at a cheap trinket. He sighs heavily.

"Hey Lily..? Can you help a guy out? I kinda spent all my col on things we could do today." He says and I instantly feel terrible. _H-He... spent all his col on me..?_ _And all I made him do all day was sit. I'm a terrible person._

"Sure... but first, what other preparations did you make?" I ask and his face splits into an ecstatic grin.

~Coral's labyrinth. Vile's pov~

I wait as the last black wolf runs toward me. Its teeth collide with my shield, leaving it open to be taken out. Cyrus runs up and stabs right through its body, resulting in it breaking into a thousand pieces. "Nice save" I say as I raise my fist, hoping for him to bump it. He stares at it at first but then accepts it by bumping fists with me.

"We should keep going. The more col you have, the better the gift for Lily right?" he asks. I cackle.

"Let's move on to the next kill, shall we?" He nods and we begin walking. Almost immediately, he stops and grabs my shoulder. "Something wrong?" He looks me in the eye but doesn't say anything. "Is there something on my face?" I scratch my cheek with my index finger.

"Why?" he asks. I raise an eyebrow and stare at him in confusion. "Why is it that you show more bad than good? I know there's some good in you and you know it too." I go to talk, but he continues. "You show bits and pieces of it with everything you do, yet you continue to let the darkness show its face. Why is that?"

I give him an agitated look then look away. "It's none of your business." He moves into my line of sight.

"You're part of the guild I'm in. That makes it my business. So explain; what's the reason?" I turn around completely this time, showing my back to him.

"When you're constantly surrounded by evil, it does things to you..." I begin walking to the next area. Unfortunately, the area is the safe zone, which gives Cyrus more time to talk. I sigh as he gets in front of me. "What?"

"Tell me, Vile. Why do you act the way you do even though the good is clearly there? Are you afraid to express your feelings toward the others excluding Lily?" I close my eyes with an annoyed look on my face and click my tongue.

"Why do you care all of a sudden? I curiously look at him.

"Because... Like someone told me before, you need to care a lot for your guild mates even if you're barely there. So... Tell me, why do you act that way?"

I let out a sigh. "Just some real life stuff. Nothing to be concerned of."

"Wouldn't it be better to tell someone that stuff? What if we never leave this game and stay trapped? Wouldn't it be better to at least get rid of some of the weight on your shoulders?"

I sit down and cross my legs. "Have a seat." I point in front of me, signaling him to sit in front of me. He nods and sits down.

-Lily's point of view-

By now, the sun was starting to set. I was actually having quite a bit of fun just hanging out with Kazama. Which surprises me because I thought he was just an idiot before now.

"Thanks for hanging out with me, Lily. I had a lot of fun." Kazama says and I look at him.

"So did I." I reply with a smile. As soon as we got to the guild house, Rei and Cross looked at us while Yumiko slept soundly.

"You two were gone a long time." Rei says as she stands up. She walks over to us and Cross goes back to doing whatever he does. Kazama sits down and she goes to him, expecting all the details.

"I'll be in my room, if anyone needs me." I say and they all nod. I head upstairs and turn to the room I had claimed. It was a little smaller than the rest of them, but I really like smaller rooms. They make me feel safer, I guess. I yawn because of sudden exhaustion that hit me.

"Vile and Cyrus are still gone, so I can do this." I say and open my menu for the hundredth time today. I hesitate and walk over to my door, to make sure it was locked. After confirming that, I remove all my gear so that I'm standing here in the game's default underwear. The narrow vanity mirror reflects me and I look at myself.

I still look the same as I did when this whole mess started. But... the thought that my real body wouldn't look like this when we finally get out of the game sent shivers down my spine. It... well, it scared me to be completely honest.

I sit on the bed and look out the window. The semi-dark world was pressing around Coral Village. The only reason I could still see anything was because of my Night Vision support skill. I pull the computer generated blanket around me and I feel even more sad.

"I can't feel it." I say. That was the most discomforting experience I've had so far. A lack of any... physical feeling. A sigh escapes my lips as I throw my legs over the edge of the mattress. I flip the blanket around and it falls, gently, outlining my figure.

"I really hope that Cy and Vile are okay," I whisper to myself as the silence of sleep over takes my mind.

~Vile's pov~

I finish explaining my life story to Cyrus. "And that's pretty much it" I say and pause to let it process through his mind. "So, what do you think?" He refrains from talking at first, but then speaks up.

"I understand now. So it isn't just out of personal taste. You actually have a valid reason for your doings" he says.

"Yes, and being in this game is like a fresh start since no one really knows who I really am. Now that you know, you must keep it secret." He nods. "Now let's head back. I think I have enough col for Lily's gift." I turn around to head toward the labyrinth's exit.

"Just a sec Vile." I turn around with an eyebrow raised. "You haven't explained the Lily part yet." I scratch the back of my head.

"To be honest, I don't know either." I turn back around and go to the exit.

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 34  
Cross – Level 38  
Lily – Level 25  
Rei – Level 27  
Vile – Level 38  
Kazama – Level 26  
Yumiko – Level 26

**_To Be Continued in chapter 7_**

**_And now to answer those reviews :D_**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_..._**

**_Oh wait, there are none D:_**


	7. Chapter 7: Blinded Pride

**_Chapter Seven: Blinded Pride_**

-Coral Village, Lily's point of view-

"Are you ready to depart, my sweet?" Vile asks as he drapes his arm over my shoulders. Within a second I lift his arm and step away.

"As long you don't try any funny business." I reply.

"But of course." he says with a bow. I blink at him rapidly. I clear my throat and start walking. "What plans do you have for us to overcome, this fair day?"

"Really, all I can do is sit around town. I don't think plans are _that_ necessary." I reply. I plan on trying to at least be polite with him. He scratches the back of his head in an attempt to think of a comeback. I look over my shoulder at him and I see him rubbing his chin in thought.

"Lily, if you don't mind me asking... what did you do in your free time before Sword Art Online?" Vile asks me and I stop.

"All I did was play video games." I tell him. I know he has a 'soft' spot for me, but this is a first.

"Just that?" he asks. I nod and turn to look at him. "You don't seem to worried about being stuck in town and losing a week's worth of experience." he points out.

"Because Rei expects everyone to watch each other's backs." I reply. Heck, she even got it to the point where I started thinking that. He starts walking again and I follow him. I start humming to myself. Vile looks over at me.

"I always hear you humming, is something wrong?" he inquires and I shake my head.

"Just remembering songs that I listened to when I was younger." I reply and he nods in understanding. Something was up that made him seem nervous. "You okay? You seem on edge." I tell him and he shakes his head no a little too quickly.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm just trying to make idle conversation." he responses. Right, I'm going to pretend he didn't just try to cover that up. I cough and sit down on the virtual ground. He takes a place next to me and we just stare at the distance for a bit.

Just as I was beginning to like how still and quiet he was being, I glance over and see his hand on the ground next to my leg. I blink and shuffle a little bit further from him. He looks over at me and I glance over at him. I don't like how he's staring at me.

~Coral village's labyrinth, top floor. Cyrus' pov~

"This is it pal. Our first labyrinth boss" Kazama starts talking. I look over at him to see him staring at the door to the boss. "It's kinda ironic that the first boss we take on is with each other." I nod as I check my gear, making sure I got all the right stuff on. "Let's do our best with this one." He grins at me as he holds up his hand for a high five.

"Heh, yeah, let's take 'em down" I reply as I give him a high five back. We push open the giant door to the boss room to find a room lit up by the bright lights illuminating off the walls. The room itself was colored red with two figures standing in the middle. The one on the right is a giant white wolf with black streaks running along its body. The one of the left is what appears to be a giant soldier covered in heavy black armor with one arm and a silver claymore stabbed into the ground next to it. Steps leading to the next floor sit in waiting behind them. "This is certainly a surprise."

"No kidding. I thought they'd only allow one boss per boss room. Looks like Kayaba added a few more surprises after the beta." I draw my sword just as Kazama draws his. Both monsters stand up, their red eyes glaring at us. Two health bars appear on the side of both of them. "Let's do this partner." I nod as we charge into battle. The wolf growls harshly at us before rushing toward us. The soldier picks up his claymore and begins walking toward us.

"I'll take on the wolf. You worry about the soldier." I sway toward the right with the wolf following suit. I jump out of the way just as it lunges at me to take a bite. _That was too close_, I think to myself. As it turns around, I'm already in its face. I swing upward at the side of its face which causes it to roar in pain. I jump back from the swing of its paw, but it manages to hit me with the second which causes me to go flying into a wall. I shut my eyes as my back comes in contact with the wall and I fall to the ground. _Alright, so that was a bad approach to attacking._ I check my health bar and notice it sitting at the rim of yellow. I get back up and run toward the wolf that's now going for Kazama. "Look out!"

Kazama parries the soldier's claymore and sees the wolf coming his way. He runs behind the soldier and the wolf reacts by stopping and growling. "Thanks for the heads up!" He begins stabbing the soldier's leg while I get behind the wolf. With the help of my Acrobatic skill, I jump onto the back of the wolf and stab it. It begins flailing its body around wildly, trying hard to get me off. I manage to hold on as it begins running around. "Hey, that looks pretty cool! Mind if I have a turn next?" I manage to glance at Kazama and see the soldier's claymore in the air.

"The Soldier!" I shout louder than usual. He turns around as the claymore swings down. With no time to react, the attack hits Kazama and dust appears. I look at his health bar and see that it dropped to red. _Good, he's still alive._ The dust clears and Kazama lays there like a dead body. The soldier gets ready to attack once more. I rip my sword out of the wolf's back and jump off, sprinting to Kazama. The soldier's claymore swings down and I manage to take Kazama's place. Because of how oddly I parried the sword, I ended up taking damage. I then sheathe my blade and begin dragging Kazama out of the boss room. _So glad I ripped out my sword from the wolf's back or else it would have been chasing us right now._ I set Kazama down and close the door to the boss room.

I let out a sigh as I slide down and close my eyes. _We could have died if I hadn't glanced at Kazama. It's a good thing I did too._ I look at Kazama to see him sitting up. He too lets out a sigh and looks at me. "Thank you for the save." I nod as I toss him a potion which he drinks.

"We should go back before anything bad like that happens again." He nods and pulls out a blue crystal. I do the same and hold it up. "Teleport, Coral."

-Coral Village, Lily's point of view-

Okay, at first I didn't mind the silence but now it was kind of annoying. I was about to say something but he spoke up first.

"Hey Lily... I know we kind of have a rough relationship, but... I got you some presents." he says as I raise an eyebrow. A black box appears in his hands and he moves it towards to me. Intrigue envelops me as I take the box and lift the lid slowly. Inside is a dagger and a polished wooden flute.

"Vile... I-I don't know what to say." I tell him as I pick up the flute and the dagger that I couldn't equip yet. It disappears into my inventory. "Thanks." I tell him and smile at him slightly. He nods and stands up. I follow his lead and we start heading back to the guild house as the sun starts to set.

"Thanks for spending time with me Lily, even if you didn't exactly enjoy it."

"I actually had a lot of fun, Vile. And you actually just made me really happy." I tell him honestly. Within an instant, I'm in his arms and he's hugging me. Tears stream down his cheeks.

"I'm so glad to hear that." he whispers as I pat his head in an attempt to break his grip on me. Once he puts me down I see Kazama and Cyrus walking toward us, both with differing expressions. Cyrus looks determined about something while Kazama, the idiot, looks scared out of his mind.

"Something happen on your adventure?" I ask and before Mr. Grumpy aka Cyrus could say anything, Kazama answers.

"We found the boss room, but they beat the two of us. We were lucky to escape with our lives." he says and Cyrus gives him a sideways look.

"What the hell were you two doing there alone?!" I yell at the two and they flinch at my raised voice.

"We wanted to see what they were capable of." Cyrus responds.

"One boss is one thing but two... that was pretty reckless of you two." Vile says and he flicks Cyrus on the forehead. Cy's eye twitches and he rubs his forehead. He looks away from Vile.

"At least you two are safe." I say and rub my hands together, nervously. "Anyways... Rei will want to hear about this." I add but Kazama grabs my arm.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Do _not_ tell Rei. She'll kill us." Cyrus says and I look at him with a confused expression.

-In the Guild House, Cross' point of view-

I look at the two females that decided they want to sit next to me. The blonde, I guess her name was Yumiko, was on my left and for some reason she found rubbing my arm was fun. On my right was that torturer, Rei. _She's forcing me to spend a day with what's-her-face._ "Cross... I didn't know you worked out." Yumiko says with a hint of playfulness.

"I don't." I reply, wanting to add more to that sentence. She just... purred. Why would she do that?! I'm confused.

"So you're naturally handsome?" the blonde asks.

"I deny to dignify that with a response." I tell her. She puts her head on my shoulder. I shake my arm to try and get her off of me. My efforts were in vain because she kept holding on. Rei pokes my shoulder and I look at her, my arm still half raised.

"We haven't really seen you that much lately." she says. I glare at her.

"Because someone, not naming anyone but Vile, got to be a higher level than me. I am showing that I do not get dethroned." I reply and she blinks at me.

"So... it's a rivalry thing?" Rei asks and I shake my head.

"No." I reply before turning back to the blonde growth I suddenly have. She was still clinging onto my arm, much to my displeasure. I was half tempted to just stand up and leave by the time the door opened and the dumb ass and his 'companions' walked in.

"Yo!" he yells and my ears start bleeding. Why can't he just stay quiet?

"Hey Kazama!" Yumiko yells and she tackles him. I almost forgot what it was like to have my arm free. "I missed you." she purred and he just laughed. What an idiot.

"Cyrus! You're watching Lily tomorrow!" Rei yells and he blinks in shock.

"Wha-huh?!" he yells and the flower blinks in equal surprise.

"Other than Cross, you're the only one who hasn't watched her. I watched her yesterday and Yumiko watched her after Kazama. Plus... I'm afraid she'll get neglected by Cross." she mutters and I look at her and grin. She laughs nervously. My grin fades and I realize that I'm still going to have to watch her. She right about the neglect thing though.

Vile grabs Cyrus' shoulder and grips it. The pain was evident on the fool's face. I don't even know why he's a fool at the moment. "Try anything funny and you know what happens." he whispers just loud enough for me to hear. I don't think the others were paying attention though.

"I'm not a creep like you Vile." Cyrus says and awkwardly looks at Vile. I guess Lily thought this was a good time to cough.

"I-I'm going to my room!" she practically yells and runs up the stairs.

"Did I offend her by calling this guy a creep..?" Cyrus asks. I shrug. "Oops." he says and heads up to his room.

"I'm sitting here." Kazama says and sits next to me. I kick Kazama in the leg and leave through the front door.

-Middle of the Night, Lily's point of view-

I sigh and sit up in my bed. For some odd reason, sleep's out of the question. I stand up and walk over to my window and stare at the ground below. I open my menu and see that it was 2:04 AM. I close it and go back to staring at the grass. I see a person walking slowly down below. Okay that wasn't strange at all, so I decide to investigate. I open my window and jump out. I land behind, not so quietly, and they turn to look at me. "Lily..? Why are you awake?" Cyrus' voice says to me.

"Why are you awake?" I ask in response.

"Late night farming?" he replies.

"In the labyrinth." I reply, assuming that he wanted to finish what he started.

"Ye- I mean NO! No, j-just around the village gates." he says and I look at him serious like.

"You're doing the thing again."

"What thing?"

"The thing where you can't use words." I tell him and he groans. "So where you going?" I ask.

"The village gates, duh." he replies. We both know I'm not stupid enough to believe that. I start walking and he raises an eyebrow at me. "Um..?"

"I'm coming with you, to make sure you aren't lying."

"Not dressed like that you aren't." he says, a slight pink in his cheeks. I look down to realize why. I hear a heavy breathing behind me and I turn to see Vile standing there. I screech and cover myself with my arms and run away. I run into Cross and knock the two of us over. I hear the breathing again and I assume Vile got closer. A sheet appears in his hand and he hands it to me.

"Cyrus, get your ass here." Cross says and Cyrus freezes. He walks over slowly, head hanging in defeat. I stand up and wrap the sheet around me while I start putting my armor back on.

"All three of you are perverts!" I yell, bright red all over my cheeks.

"I wasn't the one who was naked..." Cyrus says and scratches the back of his head. Vile coughs.

"Why were you naked in the first place?" he says and my cheeks get even redder.

"None of your business." I snap in response.

"She saw me walking outside and I guess she jumped out before getting dressed." Cyrus replies while looking away from me.

"Why she was even naked in the first place is the question!" Cross says. "Does she sleep like that? Or is it because why not?" I blink at him and hug myself.

"N-None of your business." I mutter. "So why were you going to midnight farm by the village gates, but head in the direction that leads to the labyrinth?"

"Easier exp over there and I wasn't going to stay long." Cyrus replies, obviously flustered.

"Still risky." Vile says and puts his arm around Cy's neck. He grins in a slightly menacing manner. I cough.

"I'm going back to my room." he starts to say but Cross growls.

"Finish the fight, coward." the rough guild member says.

"I would but... the others are coming, so it wouldn't even be my fight." Cyrus replies. I sigh and cross my arms.

"Look, Cyrus. I get that you want to do this yourself, but seriously. This is just plain stupid." I say and he looks away from me. "Quit being stubborn and accept our help, or go back to sleep and wait for the raid party."

"Why wait for the raid party when I can finish it myself?" he asks.

"Because you can't. Now accept the help or go back home and sleep till morning, where you gotta watch her." Vile says.

"Fine, I'll take your help." Cyrus says and invites us to his party. "But if any of you guys' hp drops to red, don't any of you EVER suggest this again." he warns us.

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 37  
Cross – Level 41  
Lily – Level 25  
Rei – Level 30  
Vile – Level 38  
Kazama – Level 30  
Yumiko – Level 27

**_To Be Continued in chapter 8_**

**_Review answering time (This time by me)_**

**Yukimoko - **Good point. Spoiler warning, he doesn't pass Cyrus any time soon.

**FukoShima - **Haha, just wait and see. I promise you won't be disappointed.

**iTricksterz - **That's an interesting question. I'd have to ask the others since I believe I'm the only one who's played the game. It would be fun to do too so it might happen.


	8. Chapter 8: Reuniting Brothers

**_Chapter Eight: Reuniting Brothers_**

~Coral village's labyrinth, top floor. Cyrus' pov~

I stare at the door leading to the two bosses. I had planned on taking this on by myself but... "Is everyone ready?" Vile asks. I look over my shoulder to see both Cross and Lily nod their heads. "Cyrus?" I shrug my shoulders and look back at the door.

"Quit acting that way Cyrus. You should've known that once we found out, we weren't going to let you go alone" Lily steps in. I silently groan to myself as I push open the boss door. There, sitting in the middle of the red room, was the two bosses', the soldier and the wolf. I draw my sword and begin walking toward them.

"Remember what happens if ANY of your hps drops to red" I say as I watch the two bosses look at us, their eyes glowing red glaring like last time. _This time, I'm not taking a loss!_

"Well I guess it's time to test this out "I hear Vile says. I turn and look at him equipping something. Appearing on his left arm is now a metal overlay. "I'll engage first."

"Personal meatshield huh? Be my guest then." He grins and runs forward. I watch as Lily pulls out her dagger and Cross equips a scythe. I turn back to Vile to see him hitting his shield with his metal arm. He sways over to the wall while the soldier and wolf follow him. _He does know there's an easier way to dispatch of them, right?_ The soldier attacks first with a swing from his claymore. Vile positions himself and shifts his shield, blocking the attack while directing the soldier into the wall. The wolf then lunges at Vile to which he responds by dodging and grabbing one of its teeth.

"Uh... guys? I can't hold them off forever you know." I sigh as I run forward with the other two by my side. I hear the wolf growl as it tries to break loose, but Vile keeps his grip on it.

"Guess you can be considered more than a meatshield since you're able to hold them down" Cross says as he jumps into the air and swings his scythe down, the blade digging into the digital body that is the wolf. It lets out a roar a pain as it tries to break free of Vile's lock.

"You might want to move now Vile" I say as the soldier gets up. He looks back at it only to personally meet its hand. Vile gets sent toward the wall. I stop to look at his health bar. I let out a sigh as I see it just hit yellow. _So close, but no._ Lily runs up and jumps onto the soldier's shoulder and stabs it. She then jumps off, but her back decides it also wants to meet the soldier's hand. She goes in the same direction as Vile, though Vile catches her. Her health is just above Vile's by a bit. _I probably should join the fight now..._

I run toward to the soldier as it stands back up. I manage to get a quick slash off before it manages to react with a swing from its claymore. I block it, staggering a bit from the power put into it. He swings again and this time I dodge. _No use in blocking if the attacks can throw me off like that._ I take a few swings at its arm before it lifts it back up. "Vile, I need your tanky meatshieldness again" I call out to him. He rushes over and stands by me. "Just throw it off guard. From the looks of its health, a direct hit in the head should end it."

"Whatever you say, boss man" he replies as he holds his shield up. I jump back and wait. The soldier swings down his claymore once more with Vile shifting his shield while also pushing back. The soldier stumbles back, staggered._ Now's my chance!_ "Switch!"

"Hope you don't mind this" I say as I run and jump off Vile's shoulder, giving me more airtime. My sword glows white as I aim for the head and go right through it. I land and turn back in time to see it exploding into a thousand tiny triangles. I then direct my attention to Cross who's handling the wolf on his own. It lifts up its claw to try and smack him, but Cross swings his scythe upward which knocks it away. He then puts both hands on the scythe and drives the blade through its chin, resulting in its death. I look at his health and see it still in the green, untouched. A grin pops up on my face as I look at Vile's health.

The congratulatory message box appears in front of my face with my exp and an item displayed at the bottom. Another box saying '_Level up!'_ appears. "Whew, I helped!" Lily exclaims as she walks over to the three of us. I check everyone's level to see they too leveled up.

"You know Lily..." she looks over at me. "Rei will see your new level."

"Damn it..." She hangs her head.

"You'll get in trouble too Cyrus" Cross says. I raise an eyebrow. "It's your turn to watch her." A moment of silence passes by before I also hang my head.

"I'm sure she won't be too hard on you... hopefully" Vile says as he pats Lily's head.

-Later that morning in Coral Village, Lily's point of view-

I feel Rei's eye stare deeper and deeper into me. Cyrus already had his scolding but me? She hasn't said a word yet. "So!" she barks suddenly. I flinch at her volume. "Cyrus says it was his idea to bring you along, is this true?" she asks and I keep the confusion off my face, fortunately.

"Um... kind of?" I say, unsure of how to answer. Why would he try to take the blame?

"He said he brought Cross and Vile along for your protection. But you seem to have a better idea, right?"

"Okay fine, I'll tell the truth. He made me promise not to tell though." I say and I rub my arm.

"Let's hear it." Rei tells me.

"I was kind of worried that after the week passed, I would be too far behind in experience and wouldn't be able to help you or the others. So he offered to take me to the field so I could level up once. I told him it was a bad idea, but he insisted." I say, even if my lie was obvious... she seems to have bought it.

"He's such a cool guy like that." Rei mumbles. I don't think I was supposed to hear, so I keep my mouth shut. Before we can continue the discussion, Cross bursts through the door with Yumiko dangling off of him.

"Back you dirty ape! Back!" he yells as he trips on something. He slides on the ground before stopping at Rei's feet. Yumiko just smiles and hugs him even tighter. I blink and turn to look at our guild master.

"I guess you're off the hook, but I do have to punish Cyrus later." she says with a tiny hint of... something in her voice. I'd hate to see the gears turning in her head, so I leave the guild house. Outside I see Cyrus standing there, staring at me.

"So?" he asks.

"She says I'm off the hook, but she's going to punish you later." I say and his face pales. Huh, didn't know the game would let you do that.

"I have a bad feeling about this." he mutters and shakes his head. "Want to go visit the other town?" he asks and my own face pales. "She said you can't leave town, but never said anything about staying in Coral." he adds upon seeing my expression. Before I can answer however he drags me to the village's teleportation gate.

"Teleport, Aquaron." we say, causing the two of us to disappear.

~Floor 23, Aquaron village. Cyrus' pov~

Lily and I appear in the Aquaron's teleport gate and she immediately covers her head with her arms. Just like when I activated this village, the rain continues to fall. I look over at Lily and raise an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" I ask and she looks at me.

"I don't like the rain. Even if it isn't real, I'm not going to get used to it" she replies and opens her menu. After scrolling through it, she equips a faded brown cloak with a hood. She pulls the hood over her head and sighs loudly.

"Come on, standing around is a waste of time. Let's look around." I start walking and Lily follows me as we explore the streets. I look around to see nothing but a few venders and some houses. _Guess that's to be expected since this floor was opened while people were most likely sleep. _"Maybe bringing you here while there isn't much going on wasn't really the greatest idea..."

"It's okay." For some reason, I think she's lying. I don't think she'd be that enthused just by walking around with me.

"Excuse me you two!" someone running toward us shouts as he stops in front of us. In the rain, darkness and small lights from vendors, it's hard to make out how he looks. All I can really see is the umbrella he's holding. "You uh... know where the village's teleport gate is? I kinda got lost and... well, the NPCs won't tell me." Yeah, some NPCs will do that to you.

"Sure. Just follow us" I say as I turn around. Lily and the stranger keep up their pace as they follow me to the gate. "And here it is. Anything else you need?" He puts his hand on his chin and looks the other way.

"Well, I was wondering if you're in a guild. If so, can I join, big brother?" Wait a sec... "You probably don't recognize my voice since it's been some time since we've spoke. The darkness isn't helping much in terms of vision either. Let's get to Coral village where things are easier to see." He walks up the stairs to the teleport gate. "Teleport, Coral." With a flash of blue light, he disappears. _It can't be you, Ayden..._

"You never told me you had a brother" Lily says. I respond with silence and me walking up the stairs to the teleport gate.

"I'll explain once we get back" I respond while looking at her. I then turn back to the gate. "Teleport, Coral." The flash of blue comes again and I'm welcomed by the smell of the forest. The sun is back up and the sky is clear. _I'm definitely back in Coral, _I think as I look forward at the one known as my brother, Ayden. I stare at his short blue hair, dark blue eyes and his familiar face. "So it really is you..." I feel myself slowly walking toward him as he smiles. "I didn't think it was true... but you're here..."

"It's been far too long, Cy" he says as he runs up and hugs me. I hug him back with a smile on my face. "I never would have expected to find you in a video game with someone besides Rei or Kazama." I chuckle a bit as I look at him again.

"You've grown a bit since our last time seeing each other. For one thing, you're just past my shoulder now." He grins as he nods his head. "I missed you a lot Ayden..."

"Same here Cy..."

"Can I get an explanation about this?" I hear Lily behind me. I let go of Ayden and turn to her.

"Well as he said, I'm his big brother" I begin. "We used to live together, though we separated two years ago because our parents lost interest in each other and divorced. I ended up living with our father while Ayden was taken by our mother. We went on without any type of communication. That's the reason we were very close just now." She nods, now understanding the situation. Ayden walks up to Lily and holds his hand out.

"My irl name is Ayden, though please call me Halo in here" he smiles as they shake hands.

"You can call me Lily" she responds.

"Nice to meet you Lily." He let's go of her hand and turns back to me. "So Cy, what's been going on with you and dad lately?"

"Well..." I start.

~Evening~

"...though when I heard the beta for this was out, I was too late to join" Halo continues talking. "I would've loved to play the game before it turned into a death game." Before I'm able to reply, Lily speaks.

"We should probably start heading to the guild house now since its getting dark" she says. We nod and start following her. Halo slows me down a bit and looks at me.

"Say bro, are you a beta tester?" he whispers, probably to make sure Lily doesn't hear. I nod my head. "Anyone else know about this?"

"You, Rei, Kazama and a new guy named Vile" I say. "Don't tell anyone else though. With all this talk about the beta testers being the bane of this game, I don't want too many people knowing I'm one of them. Besides, I don't even know how they'd react to knowing."

"You guys coming or what? Lily asks. We look and see that she's waiting for us at a corner. We run over to her and continue the walk to the guild house.

~Guild house~

Lily opens the door and we're greeted to Kazama and Rei talking at the table. "I'm telling you, we should get more guild members so we can have an easier time clearing labyrinths and floors" Rei says.

"So you're saying our seven-man group isn't enough? You do know how awesome me and my partner are, right?" Kazama questions. Halo steps up and stands next to Rei.

"C'mon Kaz, the more the merrier. Besides, you can have an easier chance to talk to the ladies" Halo says with a grin on his face. Both Rei and Kazama remain silent as they stare at him with surprised expressions. "Oh, almost forgot. It's me, Cy's brother! You know, Halo? The one who'd sometimes join you guys for random runs? Yeah, I got trapped in this death game as well."

"Halo!" Rei shouts as she hops up from her chair and glomps him.

"What're you doing here, you little runt?" Kazama asks with a smile on his face. Just like old times.

"Oh you know, just trying to survive in this death game and reuniting with old family and friends. Just simple stuffs" Halo responds as him and Rei get back up. "Say Kaz, ever succeed in marrying Rei?" Rei giggles nervously while Kazama's face goes beat red.

"A-anyways... more guild members arrre fine... Um... I'm going to my room! Bye!" With that, Kazama bolts up the stairs, slamming the door to his room once he reached it. Halo laughs as he looks at all of us.

"Seems he still isn't over that topic."

"So... how have you been living Halo?" Rei asks, getting off the conversation about her and Kazama's previous marriage attempt.

"Oh, me and some friends I've met have been sticking together. Today, they went to level grind while I explored the next floor. Speaking of them actually..." Rei raises an eyebrow. "Mind if we all join the guild? It'll be six new members for you guys."

"We'd have to get a new guild house to be able to fit everyone, but sure. Is it alright if you guys wait a bit longer before staying in the guild house though?"

"Of course. That's fine by us. Hotels aren't expensive at all."

"We should try and get a house on a higher floor for a bigger and better one" I say. Rei nods and looks back at Halo.

"Since it's late, you and the others meet us here tomorrow in the morning. I'll add you all then." Halo nods and looks at the door.

"Well, I should be going now to make sure they're all back. I'll see you all tomorrow" he says as gets to the door and waves at us. We all wave back and he walks out, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 38  
Cross – Level 45  
Lily – Level 26  
Rei – Level 33  
Vile – Level 42  
Kazama – Level 33  
Yumiko – Level 30  
Halo –Level 36

**_To Be Continued in chapter 9_**

**_Be sure to review!_**


	9. Chapter 9: Requ for Making a Sword

**_Sorry for the wait. College work, complicated relationships, behind schedule because of a certain someone who should be working .  
Just simple stuff that someone in college should go through :D Enjoy!_**

**_Chapter Nine: Requirements to Making a Sword_**

-Coral Village, Lily's point of view-

I have absolutely no idea what I did, but Cross seemed miserable. Was it because he was being forced to watch me? Probably. He's not out there level grinding to his heart's extent. I couldn't figure out why he looks in pain, however. "This is boring... let's go level up." he says and turns to leave the village. I look at him, completely dumbfounded.

"But... I can't fight enemies that are your level, and we aren't supposed to leave town." I say in an attempt to dissuade him.

"I don't hear a problem here." he says and grabs my shirt's collar. I yelp as he begins dragging me with him.

~One year later. (Because who doesn't like time skips? :D) April 22nd, 2024. Floor 59, Danac. Cyrus' pov~

"So... why exactly are we far out here and not back near the city?" Halo asks. Halo and I walk down the dirt road, following Vile to a place he wanted to take us. He didn't bother telling us the reason why. He just added us to a party and told us to follow him.

"Let's just say... she doesn't like to be around people" he replies. She? So he's taking us to go see a girl? I let out a sigh as I hang my head. _I could be out leveling..._ "And there's our destination." I look up and see Vile pointing at a house. The house itself was a two story white house with an orange roof, two windows at the top with an orange outline and a dark orange door combined with a yellow door knob. A water wheel spins on the right side of the house. Vile walks up and opens the door, a ding sound signaling the girl that people are here. "Petra, you home?"

I look around the shop to see a few cases of weapons pushed against the wall. Posted to the wall over them are the sword types. From left to right, they read _"One-handed, Two-handed, Katana, Spears._" So she's a blacksmith? "Coming" a female voice says. Opening the door is a brunette girl with a ponytail as her hair style and amber eyes. She's wearing a long sleeved white shirt with brown covering her forearms, a ribbon around her neck, a green cape with few designs and a tool belt going around her waist. Her black skirt, which is partially covered by her shirt, is followed by black leggings and brown boots with a green cuffing at the top. She looks at Vile and puts her hands on her hips. "If you were gonna stop by, you should have messaged me. I would have prepared something for you."

"Sorry, wanted to introduce you to some friends." He then turns around and looks at me and Halo. "Petra, I introduce you to short stuff." He points to me and I give him a bored expression. "And new guy." He then points to Halo. Halo smiles and waves.

I clear my throat. "I'm Cyrus and that's Halo. So, how did you and this creepy pervert meet?" I ask while looking at Petra. She giggles and Vile gives me a "kekeke" laugh.

"Guilty as charged" he replies with a straight face.

"Well, I was hunting for more materials needed for weapon making. While doing so, monsters suddenly surrounded me. Because I was out-numbered by many and I work better at making weapons instead of using them, that was pretty much the end for me. At least, it would have been, but then Vile showed up out of nowhere and rescued me. The way he fights is actually pretty unique. All he relies on is his shield rather than an actual weapon. But anyways, in return for saving me, I told him I'd work as his personal blacksmith. Free of charge, of course" she explains. So while he went out on one of his flirt trips, he actually did something productive?

"So you're the underground hero type, eh Vile? I didn't know you had quite the personality for such" Halo says as he pokes Vile with his elbow.

"If you saw such a beautiful lady in danger, you'd do the same too. I don't know about Cyrus but-" Vile starts talking, but I cut him off by drawing my sword and holding it to his neck.

"Keep talking and I won't hesitate..." I say as I sheathe my sword. Vile then scratches his neck.

"Someone's a bit grumpy." He then walks up to Petra, quickly getting behind her and puts his right hand on her breast while putting his left hand on her butt. "I mean, just look at this luscious body!" A moment of silence passes by before she grabs his right arm and flips him onto the counter. "Awwhh!" I swear I could see his eyes sparkling.

"He also has the tendency to touch me every now and then. It usually ends like this" she says with an irritated voice. She then clears her throat and stands up straight. "So! What can I do for you guys today?" Seeing as though Vile's in his own little world right now, I step up to talk.

"Well, I was looking for a blacksmith that does custom requests. Are you one of them?" I ask and she nods. "I was wondering if you could make me a custom one-handed sword."

"Of course. Do you also want a shield with that?" I shake my head no.

"Taking a shield with me would only slow me down. I'd rather stick the combination I use now." She slowly nods her head. "By chance, could you make it one that's not only fast but also packs a punch?"

"Fast and with high attack? It's doable, but it might be a bit heavy. Are you fine with that?" I nod my head and she opens her menu and scrolls through what looks to be her items tab. "Alright, I'll make it but I need some help from you guys." Halo and I raise an eyebrow. "I need Crystallite Ingot from X'rphan, or the White Dragon, on floor 55. It's stored down in its giant nest. If you can get that and bring it here, I'll make the sword. Also, don't worry about the dragon. He'll respawn after about a day or two."

"If that's all then we'll be on our way." I grab Vile's collar, dragging him off the counter. I then open the door and look back at Petra. "See ya once we get back." She waves and I walk out.

~Floor 55, West Mountain~

Upon reaching the top of the mountain, we're greeted by the sight of light blue crystals surrounding the small path which leads to bigger, dark crystals. I turn around and look at Halo and Vile. "So, how're we gonna do this? I ask. They both raise an eyebrow at me. "Ya know... Who's gonna be the distraction while the other two figure out a way into the nest for the Crystallite?"

"I'll be one of the two who'll work on getting the Crystallite. Besides, I don't think my gear will be much compared to the dragon" Halo says as he turns to Vile. "How about you? Want to support me or be a meatshield of distractions?"

"I guess I'll be the meatshield. You guys go on ahead" Vile replies as he walks forward. I shrug as Halo and I walk over to the giant nest which looks like a bottomless pit.

"So... how exactly do we know it isn't a pit?" he asks. I cut off a piece of one of the crystals sitting next to us and toss it down the pit. After waiting a bit, a small thud is heard. "Ah, guess that works. Now, who's going down there?" I scroll through my items till I find rope. I click on it and it appears in my hand. I then throw the end of it down while holding onto the beginning. "I'm guessing you want me to go...?" I nod my head and he sighs. He grabs the rope, hangs off it till he manages to plant his feet on the icy surface going down the cave and begins sliding down. "Don't mess up bro."

"Don't worry, I'll keep you from falling" I reply as he continues sliding down. Soon after, the rope feels lighter. _Guess he got to the bottom._ I turn around once I hear the loud roar of the dragon. I then see it fly down, confronting Vile.

"Oh shiiit!" I hear Vile scream as he starts running back toward the entrance. I give him a dumbfounded look as the dragon follows, bumping into Vile's shield once it gets close. "Can you guys hurry it up? I can't really hold off something this big you know." I stare at him before facepalming.

"What happened to your meaty meatshieldness or meatshield of distractions?" He tries to shield bash the dragon to swat it back, but it keeps attacking.

"Do you see how big this fucking thing is?!" I slowly look up at it before looking back at Vile.

"So?" The rope begins feeling like someone's on it.

"Coming up now!" Halo shouts.

"Are you kidding me?!" Vile shouts. The dragon roars again before swiping its claw, smacking him toward me. _Well, didn't see this one coming._ I manage to grab onto his hand with my right, the same hand holding the rope, as well as hold onto the ledge with my left.

"Ya know, I expected this to go smooth with Mr. Tanky on our side distracting the dragon like a good meatshield. How did it turn out this way?"

"Oh, don't make me explain this bull shit again."

"This is really hurting my arm..." I say with two sighs following afterwards.

"Cy, this wasn't about you. Now hang like your life depends on it" Halo says.

"Um... it kinda does."

"Hey guys. You know, we should really do some before that HUGE ASS DRAGON UP THERE eats us, you know?" Vile says.

"Exactly what I was thinking Vile. Now Cy, do something to save us" Halo replies.

"Oh, I thought hanging here was fine enough" I sarcastically say before looking up. "Vile, unsheathe my sword and throw it up. I should be able to catch it and stab it into the ground for extra support."

"Got it, boss man" he replies as he pulls my sword out. "Don't mess up now, ya hear?" He throws the sword up into the air. I watch as it falls down.

"Hold on tight." I let go of the ledge as I quickly grab the sword. I then stab it into the ledge, using it as a better support than my hand. I clench my teeth as I pull them up. "Hurry up and climb!"

"Okay. Jeez, you don't have to yell at us" Halo says as him and Vile make it up. I let out a sigh of relief as they help me up. "Next time, you'll be on support rather than distraction, Mr. Tanky."

"Well I'm sooooooowwwy I couldn't hold off a huge ass dragon that could've most likely eaten me in one bite" Vile replies. I stare at the giant ice dragon while those two continue to bicker.

"Yo... Vile. Remember that huge ass dragon?" I ask while still looking at it.

"What about it?"

"Well... I think it came to greet us." I turn back to him to see him turn and see the dragon. His eyes quickly widens as Halo rapidly blinks. "We should probably move from the giant hole before this whole thing happens again." They both nod and move to the side as the dragon roars. "Seems it's my turn to play with the dragon."

"Oh! Oh! If we're taking turns to see who can beat it, you better win Cy or else I'm gonna have to fight next" Halo says. I turn around and give him a bored expression. "I _really_ don't wanna fight it." I sigh and turn back to it while pointing my sword at it. It shoots out an icy blast which I jump away from. I see that it hits Vile and he stares at his frozen legs.

"Well shit..." he mutters. I resist the urge to laugh and look back at the dragon who's now interested in Vile. I jump at it and manage to cut off its right arm with one swing. It roars in pain before trying to smack me with its claw. I manage to dodge and stab it before landing on one of the tall crystals sticking out. The dragon then flies up into the air.

"Vile, I need you to launch me into the air" I say, still resisting my want to laugh at him. He nods and I jump at him. Once I land on his shield, he launches me up which gives me the opportunity to kill the dragon just before it uses its wings to knock us into the pit. I go right through it, resulting in it exploding into a thousand tiny triangles. I land on the ground and look at the others while sheathing my sword.

"Hey Cy, can those dragons have children?" Vile asks. I raise an eyebrow at him. He points behind me and I turn to see a mini version of the dragon flying by my side. I rapidly blink before backing up and taking out my sword.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... Whoa. You can't kill that one. It's all small and cute and adorable and totally a pet" Halo says. I stare at it before putting my sword away. "See? It shows no signs of hostility." I slowly reach out my hand it pet its head. It makes a small "Kyuu" and moves closer which causes me to smile. "I knew I should've fought the dragon but nooooooooooo, Cy had to."

"Oh shush, you know you didn't want to" I say as my new pet flies around me. "You got the ingot right?" Halo takes out the Crystallite Ingot and tosses it to me. "Good, let's go back to Petra then."

~Petra's shop~

"We're back Petra" Vile says as he opens the door. Petra was standing at the counter, managing her items before she looks up at us. Once she sees us, well my pet actually, her eyes widen. "Awwhh. I knew you were probably worried I wouldn't make it back Petra, but no need to be so surprised. You should have known I'd come back to see you." She runs past Vile who had his arms open for her and stops at my new pet. "Awwhh?" He turns around and sees Petra, with a wide smile on her face, looking at my pet.

"He's so rare and adorable! How'd you get him?!" she asks, grabbing my collar. I look at her nervously before shrugging. "You're lying!"

"I-I'm not, honest!" I nervously say. She sighs and lets go. I let out a sigh of relief before looking at her. _Her breasts were..._ I begin blushing before turning around and looking at the door.

"We got the ingot you were looking for" Halo says as he looks at me. I give him the Crystallite and he hands it to Petra. "Make the best sword you can for this bashful child who managed to score a rare pet." I hear them both growl before footsteps are heard heading the other way.

"Follow me" Petra says as a door opens. I turn around and see her walk through with Vile right behind her. Halo and I then follow as well to a room where all the necessary blacksmith required things are. I look at Petra to see her put the Crystallite Ingot as well as some other black ingot on the giant anvil using pliers. From the looks of it, they're very hot. "One one-handed long sword that's fast while also packs a punch coming right up. Prepare to be amazed Cyrus." She begins hitting the two ingots with her hammer. One swing after another, the ingots' middles begin caving in. She takes one more swing and the ingots begin glowing red. It then begins taking the form of a sword, extending out to the range I was hoping it would be.

After a moment of waiting, the sword finally takes its look. The grip was black and white with a small design going around it. The cross-guard had a separated cross in the middle. The blade consisted of two parts: the first being a part above the hilt with two spikes poking out with a cross design in the middle of it and above that was an abstract design that occupied the middle of the blade. "This sword..." I mumble. She looks at me and smiles.

"Winterthorn is the name of your new sword. Give it a swing." I walk over and pick it up, take three swings before looking at it again. "Your thoughts?"

"It is a bit heavy like you said, but I like it a lot. Thanks Petra." She smiles again. "So, how much do I owe?"

"Don't worry about that, it's free."

"What about enhancements for the sword as well as throwing picks?"

"Yeah, those cost money. I'll enhance the sword to level 30 and the throwing picks to level 15. That good?" I nod. "Great, just place the sword and picks here. Now, would you and Halo kindly step out for a bit? I need to have a talk with Vile." I nod as I put my pack of throwing picks and new sword on the anvil. Halo and I then walk out.

"What do you think they're gonna talk about?" Halo asks. I think for a sec before putting my ear up to the door. _Hopefully my Straining skill is high enough._

~Vile's pov~

"So, what's up?" I ask. Petra walks over to another table, bringing a shield over to me. The shield was dark grey in the shape of a cross with the cross in the middle being blue. It looks like it's the size of my arm. She then hands it to me. "Oh, you finally finished the shield." I put it on my arm and move it around, making sure it feels comfortable. The long part seems to cover my arm perfectly. I extend my fingers out and grab the secondary grip and pull. A blade comes out which puts a smile on my face. It goes back in and I look back at Petra. She gives me a smile before I hug her.

"It didn't take long since I know how you are with your shields" I let go and she begins working on Cyrus' enhancements. "As soon as you guys leave, I'll begin working on the next project." I then give her a concerned look.

"Are you sure? You can take a break you know." She stops enhancing and looks at me.

"How're things between you and Lily?" My eyes widen at the sudden question. I look away before staying silent for a few seconds.

"I don't know. I'm not even sure if she sees me as a man." I lower my head, depression covering me. I see a glimpse of Petra's legs before she lifts my head up to face hers.

"Why are you torturing yourself over a girl who you don't even know whether or not she has feelings for you?" I grab her hand and look into her eyes.

"I don't know. I should probably just give up, but first I'll confront her about it. Whatever her answer is will determine how I'll react next." She lays her free hand on my cheek.

"I miss you Vile. You know that right?" I put one of my hands on her hand.

"I know..." I let go of her hand that I was holding onto and she begins stroking my hair.

"It's okay, right?" She leans her face closer to mine. I accept her invitation and lay my lips upon hers. Once we separate, both of our faces turn red from embarrassment. "S-sorry, forget what just happened."

"N-no, it's alright. I'm the one who took the invitation." An awkward silence passes by us. "I should probably get going now. The guys might be waiting on me since we had another place to go to." She nods and goes back to enhancing the weapons while I walk to the door. I stop before I open it and look back at Petra. "Thanks for always being there for me Petra." I smile at her.

She smiles back at me. "No problem. I'll always be there for you for whatever you need." I then open the door and walk out.

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 76  
Cross – Level 77  
Lily – Level 75  
Vile – Level 76  
Halo –Level 69

**_To Be Continued in chapter 10_**

**_Review answering! (With your answerer, Strat!)_**

**Yukimoko - **Yup, she's the Sakura of the guild \(^A^)/


	10. Chapter 10: New Things

**_We're finally picking ourselves up from the grave! Soon(Hopefully), we'll go back to our regular schedule of not being late with uploads! Till then, please bear with us ^^'_**

**_Chapter Ten: New Things_**

~Floor 59, Danac. Petra's shop. Petra's pov~

I slam my hammer down for the final time, finishing up Wintertorn's final enhancement. I wipe the sweat from my forehead as I smile at one of my greatest enhancements for a sword. Wintertorn: a custom made one-handed sword with the enhancement level of 45 and 50 throwing picks with the enhancement of 20. I know I told Cyrus something completely different, but whatever. I'm sure he'll like this even more.

I hear the bell hanging at my shop door ring. "We're back again Petra" I hear Vile's voice say my name. A smile immediately appears on my face as I grab both Wintertorn and the throwing picks and rush to the door. I open the door leading to the main shop, set the weapons on the counter and look at Vile and the others. It was then that I noticed they're clothes changed.

Vile's now wearing a coat that covers his neck. The colors consisted of black, blue and grey. The blue outlines his shoulders, the bottom of the coat and finishes by going up through the middle of it. The black outlines a small section of the middle by making a wide V shape. There's also a black line going down the neck covered in blue. The grey just covers the two open spots separated by the blue line going up the middle. A shoulder pad sits on his right and left shoulder followed by a black long sleeve. He also has on black pants and black boots. Two silver rings wrap around his legs above his boots while a blue line goes up the middle of his boots.

Then there's Cyrus. He too has a coat on except his is white. A grey line goes down the middle while two silver straps seem to hold the two sides together. He also has black pants, white boots, a white glove on his right hand and black one on his left hand.

Last, but not least, Halo. Halo also has on a blue coat with a white shirt shown from the middle and a brown strap across the middle. He has on brown pants followed by brown boots. Simple. "I see you guys decided to clean up" I say as they look at me.

"Well, we did need better gear if we wanted to continue" Cyrus says as Halo nods in agreement.

"So how'd the enhancements go?" Vile asks. A smile pops up on my face.

"Gotta say, it's the best I've done since my two years in this game" I reply and look at Cyrus. "I know I said 30 and 15, but I decided to do 45 and 20. Hopes that's fine with you." A huge smile grows on his face.

"Of course it is!" he starts, "You did better than expected. I can see why Vile calls you one of the best out there. Anyways, how much is this all?"

"1 million col."

"Pretty cheap. I'll give you 1.5 million since you took the time to enhance it more than you said it would be." He swipes down with his hand, opening the menu, and selects the trade option while picking me as the recipient. I accept and put up the sword and throwing picks. "Pleasure doing business with you Petra." We both click accept and the trade finishes. He unequips his old sword and equips Wintertorn. "Man, the damage is insane with this sword. Thanks again Petra." I giggle.

"No problem. I'm happy to help friends of Viles. Speaking of Vile..." I turn my head to him and he raises an eyebrow. "My second project will be done later on today. I'll message you when it is."

"Alright, thanks again Petra." I nod and they walk out.

~Cyrus' pov~

I sheathe my new Wintertorn in its new scabbard. The scabbard is placed to hang off my belt from my side, but positioned so it looks as though it's behind me. This is only because of a new skill I discovered I had yesterday. While I don't exactly know how I obtained it, I still keep it secret. "Hey guys" Vile says. We stop and look at him. "I'm gonna head back to the guild house for something. Catch you guys later." We wave as he walks away. Once I think he's out of hearing range, I quickly check the area. _Seems clear._

"What's wrong bro? You seem jumpy" Halo asks. I take his arm and begin pulling him in the opposite direction Vile went. "H-hey!" Coldfang, my pet dragon, follows behind. Once I see an enemy, I stop and look at Halo. "Explain before things get weird."

"Okay, hear me out and don't tell anyone" I say. He slowly nods and gives me a weird look. "First, you know what Battoujutsu is, correct?"

"Yeah, it's those moves with katanas where the person draws their sword really fast."

"Well, I think I have it as a sword skill..."

"You don't use katanas."

"That's the weird part. Check it out." I walk over to one of the wild giant boar while Coldfang flies over to Halo. I then turn sideways and get into a stance. My sword, without me even touching it, begins glowing white in the sheathe. I grab the grip and quickly swing at the boar, taking it out with one hit. Maybe it was from the new enhancements, or was from the skill. Whichever one without the other would've still one-shotted it. "See what I mean now?"

"That was Battoujutsu..."

"Yeah I know and-"

"You don't even use katanas..."

"Exactly and I-"

"HACKER!" I give him a confused look. "Eh, kidding. So you realized you had this skill yesterday?" I nod my head. "Told anyone besides me?" I shake my head now. "Welp, I feel more special now. I'm guessing you also want me to keep it a secret?" I nod once more and he smiles. "Of course I will."

"Let's head back to town now. I'm kinda starving after all that work for my weapons and our gear." I start walking toward the town.

"Wait just a sec bro." I turn around and look at Halo. "You never explained why you wanted throwing picks enhanced. Why would you want something so weak enhanced anyways?"

"Simple: they have a lot of potential. You might not know this but you can also put status inflictions on throwing picks. I learned this from experimenting with a friend of mine. She showed me how to make paralysis and poison potions. I showed her how to apply them to a throwing pick. A win-win situation."

-Danac, floor 59. Lily's point of view-

I sit on a bench and sigh heavily. I wasn't sure why, but I felt absolutely exhausted. Maybe it was because Cross and I did some grinding earlier, I don't know. I equip my brown cloak and pull the hood over my eyes, next I cross my arms over my chest before closing my eyes. I slouch on the bench slightly before someone sits next to me.

"Yo!" he says loudly. I lift my hood with one hand and look at Kazama with an irritated expression. "Haven't seen you around for a while Lily. What's up?"

"Just got done with a bit of grinding." I reply and sit up, knowing I wasn't going to get any sleep at the moment. "How about you? Any news?" I ask and turn away from him.

"Just a little this and that." he answers and I nod. "Honestly, I'm just bored." he sighs and puts his hands on the back of his head.

"Go do something then." I tell him. He looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe you can get Rei or Yumiko to hang out with you. Or if you want to go fight some monsters, I'm pretty sure Cross will go with you." I suggest.

"He scares me though..." Kazama mutters. "Doesn't he scare you?"

"Honestly, there was a point when everyone scared me. I got over it when Vile started acting like a gentleman though. Cross is... well, he's just doing the things he wants to do... I guess." I tell him and he nods his head.

"I guess," Kazama says and stands up. "I'll go find Yumiko and Rei, to see if they want to head out. Then I guess I can ask if Cross wants to join us." he says and waves as he walks away. Despite knowing he can't see me, I wave back.

I sigh before pulling the hood back over my eyes. I pick my feet off the ground and put them on the bench in front of me. I rest my head on my left shoulder before closing my eyes. I wrap my arms around myself and I sit like this for a few minutes. I shift slightly, to get more comfortable and I open one of my eyes. Seeing as how no one's in front of me, I re-close it and try to fall back asleep.

-Fifteen minutes later-

I frown to myself before sitting upright. I guess I don't want to nap after all. I open my inventory in an attempt to find something to do and I equip the flute that Vile gave me so long ago. It appears in my hands and I rub the surface gently. I grip it and idly rotate it in my hand. I get up and decide to walk around before I waste anymore time sitting around.

-Floor 49, Myujen. Revenance's new Guild House, Lily's point of view-

I open the door to our guild house and inside is Vile, so the others are out doing stuff then. I wave at them as I walk inside. I sit in one of the empty chairs around a rectangular table and I put my head on it, rather roughly. Vile looks at me with a confused expression.

"Something the matter?" he asks.

"I'm just exhausted is all." I reply and turn my head to look at him.

"Before you go sleep, or nap, or whatever... I have something I'd like to ask you." he says and he takes a seat across from me. "It's an important question and will determine what I do next." I look at him and raise an eyebrow.

"Ask away." I say.

"How do you feel about me? Like... do you see me as a man?" he asks and I furrow my brow.

"Not sure what you mean by 'man'." I reply. "Can you explain?"

"Do you see me as someone you would possibly date... in the real world." he mutters, and his cheeks were all red.

"If this wasn't a life or death situation, then yes." I reply and sit up. "Anything else?"

"No, thanks for your answer." he says. I nod and walk up the stairs to my room.

"See you in the morning, Vile." I tell him and he waves at me.

~Cyrus' pov~

Halo and I walk through town, looking for a good restaurant to stop by and pick up something to eat. "This could be so much better if someone in the guild knew how to cook well" I say. A guild of forty people including me and not one can cook well.

"You do know there's about ten people in the guild can cook right?" Halo asks. I stop, giving him a surprised look. "Rei's one of them too. Her cooking's quite nice."

"How have I not known about this?!"

"You're barely at the guild house." I go to retort, but stop. He has a point. "With your grinding and new house, you barely spend time at the guild house now. Maybe we should go there now. Rei might offer some of her cooking." Before I reply, some guy begins talking.

"C'mon man, we gotta sign up for the tournament!" he says. I turn around to see two male players running toward the right. One of them is holding a piece of paper in their hand.

"Tournament? There's a tournament going on?" I think out loud. Someone walks over and puts their hand on my shoulder. I turn and see that it's a tall man, long black hair and brown eyes, looking at me.

"The tournament isn't going on right now. It's the signups that're causing the uproar" he says as he hands me a piece of brown paper. I take it and the first thing that catches my attention on is the giant text that says 'Are You Ready?'

"_Get ready for the 2 on 2 tournament, hosted by yours truly Spencer and Sofia, on floor 59, Danac. _

_Anyone is welcomed in this tournament but they must first meet the requirements to enter._

_1: You must be at least level 45 or higher._

_2. You must have a teammate._

_3. You must be a green player._

_After meeting those requirements, go see one of the five people sitting at a table in front of the town entrance to sign up. Signup ends on the 26__th__ and matches start on the 30__th__._

_Here are the rewards for first, second and third._

_1__st__: 10 million col for both participants, a rare golden hammer for those blacksmiths and a Sleipnir Ring_

_2__nd__: 6.5 million col for both participants and 30 consumables of your choice_

_3__rd__: 3.5 million col _

_Good luck to those who participate!"_

"I see. We should sign up for it Halo" I say, turning to Halo. He shakes his head no. "Eh? Why not?"

"Sorry bro, but I'm not interested in tournaments. It's better to watch them" he replies. "Besides, I still need to find a weapon suited for me instead of this one."

"I see. I suppose I'll see if Vile wants to join me."

"Huh? No Kaz or Rei?" I shake my head no. "Why not? They both have their strengths right?"

"Well, Rei will most likely want to support me from the crowd and Kazama can be sloppy at times. Besides, Vile seems like good cannon fodder." Halo stares at me in silence. "I'm only kidding. He's got good defense though and that'll really come in handy." I feel a drop of water fall on my face. I look up and see that the sky is now covered by dark clouds.

"We should probably be going now. You and Vile can sign up for the tourney once the rain clears." I nod and we head for the teleport gate.

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 76  
Cross – Level 79  
Lily – Level 75  
Vile – Level 76  
Rei – Level 65  
Halo –Level 69

**_To Be Continued in chapter 11_**

**_WE SHALL NOT KEEP YOU ALL WAITING THAT LONG AGAIN! .'_**


	11. Chapter 11: Time to Signup!

**_Chapter Eleven: Time to signup!_**

~Floor 49, Myujen. Revenance's new Guild House. Halo's pov~

I get through the door first before Cy does and make a brief announcement to those on the first floor of the house. "Hey guys! Guess who decided to join us this evening?" I say as I see eyes looking my way. I step away from the door, revealing Cy walking in with a smile on his face. "Our reclusive admin, Cyrus."

"About time you showed up" one of the members says.

"We still up for lunch this weekend?" another says while running. He nervously chuckles while nodding his head.

"Partner! I see you decided to change your style" Kaz shouts as he walks up to him as well as Rei. Coldfang flies over and lands on Vile's head. "What's that in your hand?" Cy, fighting off a random Yumiko who decided to be clingy, gives Kaz the tourney sheet. Rei looks over his shoulder to see.

"Cyrus! Stop leaving me all alone!" Yumiko yells as she holds onto Cy's arm like her life depends on it.

"A tournament? Sounds really fun to watch" Rei says with a smile on her face. Kaz smirks as he looks at Cy who shudders.

"I see why you brought this here. Don't worry at all partner, of course I'll be on your team." Cy opens his mouth to say something but Kaz sticks his hand out. "No need to thank me, it's quite alright."

"Uh... I don't mean to disappoint you Kazama, but I was actually gonna ask Vile to be my partner" he replies. Kaz reacts with a surprised face followed by a wide open mouth. Cy then turns to Vile, ignoring Kaz who is slowly reaching his hand out to Cy. "So Vile, mind being my tournament partner?" Cy takes the tourney paper back and hands it to Vile.

Vile looks at the paper for a moment and then stares at Cy without saying a word. From the looks of it, Vile seems to be staring into Cy's soul as though he wants to see every bit of him before responding. "Sure" he replies with a thumbs up. At this point, Kaz falls on the ground from his "partner" betraying him. It's like some type of soap opera where the husband willingly cheats on the wife while she's watching.

"Nice. Once it stops raining in Danac, we'll go sign up. Till then, we should-"Cy gets cut off by a small orange message icon popping up. "Actually, I'll be right back in a few. By the time I get back, the rain should have cleared." Cy then opens the guild house door while Coldfang stays on Vile's head.

"Watch out for pkers." Cy turns to see Vile's wide smile. He then shudders before slowly walking out.

"Kyuu" is heard from Coldfang. I turn and see him now curled up into a small ball, ready to sleep on Vile's head.

"Funny how he likes to sleep on my head even though I have the least amount of hair in the guild."

~Floor 57, Marten's Field Area. ?'s pov~

I stare at my target from the hiding spot that was in a tree. A white haired boy with a white coat, black pants, white boots and two gloves, one black and the other white. "Looks like he has some decent items. Let's take them and kill him" my 'partner-in-crime' Zezima whispers. I nod as the white haired boy keeps walking. "Recheck the surroundings."

I look around and see that it's only us three with a few abandoned buildings in the direction the boy is heading as well as a few monsters. "We're clear. It'll be easy to pk him. If that fails though, monster pking will do just fine as well" I whisper back. Zezima pulls out his dagger as he silently jumps off the tree, hiding behind it to avoid being seen. He then signals me to make the first move. I nod and then jump into the air, making sure to avoid making any sound while doing so. I position myself to be able to land and grab him with my dagger right at his neck. Once I get close, he moves right, too fast for me to even react to which causes me to fall on my face.

"Can I help you?" I hear him say. I slowly stand back up while glaring at him. Zezima tries sneaking up behind him, but the boy somehow notices and jumps over me, looking at both of us now. "Anymore of you guys that I have to worry about?" I shake my head no. "So what's up?"

"Hand over all your items and we might just let you live" Zezima says with a hint of anger in his voice. The boy simply rolls his neck and lets out a sigh.

"Hmm… no thanks. I happen to like some of the drops I got." I feel my eye twitch as he scrolls through his items. Zezima runs up and swing his dagger at the boy. The boy, still paying attention to his items, dodges while he continues to scroll. "Someone's very impatient." Zezima growls before jumping back to me.

"You better give up your items before we really kill you!" I shout. He raises an eyebrow and stares at me. "W-what?!"

"Are you a girl, green player?" My eyes open wide as I pull my hood down a bit further.

"C-course not you idiot!" I make sure to deepen my voice while saying that. He shrugs his shoulders and holds up one finger.

"I'll give you all my items if one of you can do one thing." I slightly move, giving him the indication that I was a bit interested. "If the orange player can break my sword, I'll happily hand over all my items." He pulls his sword out of its sheathe, shows it to us and then puts it back. "Of course, I doubt a noob like you can even handle a simple task like that." I growl loud enough for him to hear. _This guy is really pissing me off!_

"I'll take you up on that" Zezima says as he equips his sword. I step back as he points his sword at the boy. "No need to request a duel, I'm a pker so this is just fine."

"Suit yourself. Just don't cry if you lose." The boy slightly turns the side and signals Zezima to 'come on' with his hands. Zezima charges at him with his sword glowing red. Once he gets close enough, the boy in white draws his sword, immediately swinging it with such speed that it was hard to keep up. His sword ends up going through Zezima's +15 sword with no problem, which is the reason Zezima has on a very surprised face. "You lost. Now get out of my sight."

"You… You god damn bastard!" Zezima quickly equips his dagger and begins swinging at the boy, who effortlessly dodges. "Stay still!" The boy manages to grab Zezimas arm and flip him onto his back.

"Recklessness will get you nowhere. Go back to training before you attempt to pk again." He smirks at me before walking away. I clench my teeth as I get up and run at him. I point my dagger at his head as I swing. He dodges and manages to get behind me. I turn around to see him with two throwing picks in his hand. _It's just a throwing pick. What can that do?_ He throws one at me and the other at Zezima. It manages to hit me even though I attempted to dodge.

I feel my body not respond to my commands as I fall down. I look up at my health bar and see the paralysis debuff. _How did he…?_ "Just who are you?" I say out loud, thinking it was in my head. He throws a paralysis potion at me and Zezima.

"Just a green player dressed in black and white. Memorize it, forget it, whatever works best for you." He jumps onto the closest abandoned building and turns back to us. "Just don't try that futile attempt you call pking on me again." He then continues walking away.

~Halo's pov~

Kaz and I stroll through town, doing our usual lady search. "I'm telling you Kaz. A direct approach is the best approach. Talking to them while they're turned around can result in you meeting someone you don't wanna know or coming off as a creep" I tell Kaz as I lean against a building. He passes me a water bottle and I take a sip of it.

"You don't understand. Talking to them from behind is what sparks up the relationship from the start" he retorts. I turn my head away from him, seeing a girl turned around in the process. "I'll even show you since you seem to think otherwise." He walks over to the girl I was just looking at.

"This is going to end badly..." I mumble to myself as a grin goes across my face.

"Well hello there, beautiful. How are you on this fine day?" I watch as Kaz's face changes from a flirtatious smile to a scared-out-of-my-mind face. The one he thought to be a girl turned out to be a man with long hair. I begin laughing as Kaz slowly walks back over to me with a depressed face.

"I see you have a very unique taste in women." I continue laughing while he growls at me. "See why you should approach them from the front and not from behind dummy?" He goes to grab me but I move out of the way and begin running. "You're grabbing skills are just as bad as your flirting skills!"

~Guild house, Vile's room. Vile's pov~

While I wait for Cy to come get me when he's ready to sign up for the tournament, I lay on my bed in deep thought about Lily's answer. _"If this wasn't a life or death situation, then yes."_ After that thought, a glimpse of Petra's face pops out of nowhere into my mind. _Why did Petra just cross my thoughts?_ Confused at the sudden thought of Petra interrupting my train of thought, I sit at the edge of my bed and start to ponder why this happened. The more I thought about Petra, a sudden ache in my heart starts to form and I clutch my chest where my heart is. _Is this frustration? Anger? _As I sit there confused at the sudden aching in my chest, I can feel the air around me feel thinner and a dark depression start to form over me. "What's happening to me…?"

"Kyuu?" Coldfang's sudden interruption brings me back to normal and I start to inhale some air.

"What the hell just happened?" I ask myself after regaining my senses.

"Kyuu!" Coldfang files over to me and sits on my lap.

"You saved me there little guy. I owe you one" I say while Coldfang yawns and falls asleep on my lap. _But what was that about? I've never felt such emotions before. What would you have told me father?_

"Done being emotional, meatshield?" Cyrus' voice knocks me back out of my thoughts as I turn to him leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Rain's cleared and signups are still going on. Let's get a move on."

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 76  
Cross – Level 82  
Lily – Level 75  
Vile – Level 76  
Kazama – Level 70  
Rei – Level 65  
Halo –Level 69  
Yumiko – Level 65

**_To Be Continued in chapter 12_**


	12. Chapter 12: Let the Tournement Begin!

**_Chapter Twelve: Let the Tournament Begin!_**

~Five days later. Vile's pov~

While walking down the road to Petra's house in Danac, I read the message she sent me before heading towards the coliseum. "_Done with the last project we talked about before you left when you picked up the shield" _the message reads. Once I'm done reading the message, Petra's house comes into view and I pick up my pace to see how the last project turned out. Once I reach her door I knock. She opens it and greets me with a smile.

"C'mon, lets go to the back room" she says as she turns around towards the back door and walk to it. I enter her house and close the door on my way in. Petra opens the door to the back room where she does all her work and she walks towards her work shop table and grabs something covered in wrappings. She walks towards me and passes the wrapped object to me. "Go ahead and unwrap it." She gives me a smile, encouraging me. I look at the wrapping for a second and then remove them to reveal a beautiful sword awed by its superb craftsmanship. The hilt of the sword is black with wrappings around it to keep a tight grip on it. The cross-guard is two serpents, one on each side, with their heads aiming toward the hilt and a claw aiming at the blade. The blade is dark blue and the pommel also has a serpent.

"Wow Petra this is an amazing- no, beautiful and brilliant sword! Probably one of your best swords you've ever created!" I praise her. Petra walks towards me and grabs my hand.

"That's not all it can do look." She grabs one of the serpent heads making the cross guard and pulls it out revealing a hidden dagger in the sword. "This will be great for surprise attacks and I know how good you are at those." She gives me a grin and I return it with a smile.

"So what is the name of the sword?" I ask Petra and she pulls out a menu on top of the sword.

"It's called the "Reaping Serpent." Suits a slithery pervert like you, don't you think?" I laugh at what she just said and she laughs along with me. Once were done having a laugh over Petra's joke, I put the sword in my inventory and grab her hands.

"I'm on my way to a tournament with Cy as my partner. Want to come along see our epic team work?" Petra gives me a surprised look and smiles.

"Of course I would come! I don't want to miss watching you and Cy in action. Aren't you two the best players in your guild?" She asks with a curious look on her face.

"Along with Cross, yeah, but he isn't much of a team player so yeeeeahh... I'll let the others know you are coming along to watch it with them." Petra gives a low gasp and slightly lowers her head.

"Is Lily going to be with them?" Petra asks. Strange, why would she ask for Lily?

"Yeah she is, why? Is something the matter?" She covers her mouth with a fist as if she was pondering on something and she shakes her head.

"No, not at all. Just wondering." Petra gives me a smile and I slightly tilt my head in confusion.

"Alright let's be on our way then." Petra and I walk out of her workshop and through the front door. Once we walk out, she locks the door and puts the key between her breasts. We walk on the road towards the town and I message the others letting them know I'm on my way with Petra.

~Danac coliseum~

Once we make it to the coliseum, Petra and I separate so I can meet with Cy in the locker room and she can meet with Rei and the rest of the guild members that came to watch me and Cy fight. I walk towards a hall and make my way down the hall leading to the locker room. I spot the doors leading to the locker room and open them. I'm then greeted with Cy sitting on a bench waiting for me. He yawns and I give him a smile.

"Sorry I'm late. Petra messaged me to pick up something before the match." Cy gives me a thumbs up letting me know I'm good. One of the attendants of the coliseum walks in.

"Your match is about to begin. Please be ready" the attendant says I reply by nodding. He then walks out of the locker room.

"Alright Cy, you ready for our first match?" I say while grinning. He replies by giving me a bored expression and I pat his back.

"Rei wants us to represent our guild so she got us these custom-made cloaks, though she also wants us to have the hoods on" he says as he throws a blue cloak with our guild symbol on the hood and the back. Cy puts on a white cloak with the symbols in the same place. We then both put the hoods on, covering our faces. "Alright, let's do this."

~Cyrus' pov~

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to 2v2 tournament hosted by Spencer and Sophia! Now, our first contestants for this match is Snowstorm and Snake vs Abel and Hotshot!" the announcer announces. Vile and I nod at each other and head toward the stage. Once we open the door, we're greeted by the cheering fans in the stands and the announcer followed by our two opponents stand in the center of the arena. We walk to the center and face our opponents.

"For this match and onward, once you reach yellow in your health bar, you are out. If you drop to yellow health, you are two exit the arena so you aren't in the way of one's still fighting. The match ends when both opponents are at yellow health or knocked out of the arena. Are these rules clear?" the announcer asks the four of us. We all nod and he smiles. "Alright then, the match shall begin shortly!" He leaves the center of the arena and the four of draw our weapons.

"Let's take 'em down Abel" the spikey red-head one, Hotshot, says to his partner Abel. Abel, the long yellow haired guy, nods.

"Good luck to you both" he says to us.

"Good luck to both you as well" Vile replies as I shoot them a bored expression.

"Let the battle begin!" the announcer announces. Both opponents rush to us with Hotshot being the one I face. His weapon of choice is an axe.

Our weapons collide and I see a cocky grin on his face. "Your sword is no match for my axe!" Hotshot exclaims. I give him an emotionless stare before breaking the lock by swinging my sword down. He goes for a horizontal swing that I dodge by jumping into the air. He looks up to see my glowing white sword aiming for him.

I dive down with my sword pointing at Hotshot and he puts his axe up to block me. I end up breaking his axe as I land behind him. I then turn around and kick him out of the arena ring. "Unless you know your opponent well, don't think you've won the match." I look over to see Vile blocking Abel's dagger.

Abel tries to get past Vile's shield and cut him, but Vile keeps up with him and knocks his dagger away using the shield. He then punches Abel twice using his metal overlay arm and knocks him out of the ring with the second hit. "The first round, first match is over with your winners being Snowstorm and Snake!" the announcer announces. The crowd begins cheering as we wave and head back to the locker room.

~Vile's pov~

"Alright we made it through our first match! So far so good, right Cy?" I say as I look over to Cy and raise my hand that is formed into a fist, hoping he'll bump it again. He stares at it again like the last time I bumped fist with him. He reaches out to my hand and he bumps it again. I give him a grin as he reacts by pulling away and stepping back. "Aw c'mon, don't be such a stranger!" I attempt to embrace him but he quickly moves over to the side causing me to bump face first into the wall behind him.

"Creep" is what I hear from him. I move away from the wall and give him a frown.

"Jerk" I say to him with an irritated face. He shrugs and crosses his arms. I sigh. "C'mon, lets go watch the rest of the matches with the other guildies." I motion with my thumb pointing towards the exit of the locker rooms. He nods and follows me to the audience seating. I open the doors revealing the hallway that lead to the audience seating. I walk down the hall with Cy following behind me. We walk for a few seconds but I stop suddenly, feeling someone's gaze on us. I quickly turn to my right where the source of the strange presence is but I see no one there. Just me and Cy in this vast empty hallway.

Cy tilts his head while raising an eye brow as if he is asking "What's up?"

"Sorry about that, could have sworn I felt someone watching us." He shrugs and yawns letting me know to get a move on. "Alright, alright, I'm moving." I continue walking down the hall and stop once I see the doorway leading to the audience seating I walk through it. Once I step into the seating section of the coliseum, the second match starts to begin. I see Rei, along with the other guild members, taking up a whole section of the audience sitting. I spot two empty seats next to Rei and I walk over to her and sit down along with Cy. Rei faces us with a smile.

"Good work out there you two! Keep it up and show these noobs how it's done!" Rei says. I give her a cocky grin and Cy chuckles.

"Rei, who are the guild members in the cloaks?" One of the members of the guild asks Rei.

"That's a secret they'll probably reveal in one of their matches!" Rei says with a grin. The guild member scratches the back of his head and turns his attention towards the match. I look around for Petra and spot her sitting next to Lily. She catches me looking her way and she waves with a smile to which I wave back. _Looks like she can recognize me even with this hood hiding my face._ A smile forms on my face, feeling happy that Petra can tell who I am with just my fighting style.

"And the second match of the first round is over!" I quickly face the arena and see that the match has already ended. "Virgil and Sophie win!"

"You guys think you can take them on? They have really good team work like they really know each other!" Rei shouts to me and Cy.

"Hey, we may not look like it but me and Cy are a deadly duo of our own." I say with a grin. I turn around to Cy's direction and he just nods.

"Well alright. I trust you both to take our guild to the top!" Me and Cy nod then we turn towards the arena to watch the rest of the matches.

~After the first round. Locker room~

"Looks like it's finally time" I say to Cy sitting on the bench across from the one I'm sitting on. He lifts his head, opens his eyes, and gives me that bored expression like he usually does. Is he ever going to give an actual reply instead of that annoying expression? I sigh and he tilts his head while raising his eyebrow again. "Don't worry about it." I scratch the back of my head and the attendant that came in our last match is here again.

"It's time gentlemen" he says. I nod and he shuts the door.

"Alright Cy, lets go." He nods and stands up. We both put our hoods on and we walk down the hall leading to the arena.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, are you ready for the first match of the second round!" I hear the announcer shout to the crowds of people in the audience and they reply with loud cheers. "For this fight, two deadly duos who took down there opponents in no time flat. Snowstorm and Snake!" We walk into the arena as he announces our nicknames. "Vs Virgil and Sophie!" Our opponents walk into the arena and we both walk to the center where the announcer is standing. _So were fighting the two we watched when we entered the stands huh?_ _If I heard the announcer right, he said they defeated the last opponents they fought in no time like us. This outta be somewhat interesting. _"Alright you four, same rules as in the last round got it?" We all nod and he gets ready to start the match by walking out of the arena.

"Wait!" I shout to the announcer and he jumps from my unexpected call. He turns around and faces me. "Sorry, I just wanted to be sure on something. Is it alright to switch equipment during the battle?" The announcer raises an eyebrow and he clears his throat.

"I don't see why you would, but sure go crazy!" he says with a smile and walks out of the arena to start the match. All four of us immediately prepare our weapons. "Let the match begin!" Virgil and Sophie attack almost immediately but I react just as fast and block Sophie's rapier with my shield and parried Virgil's katana with my metal overlay arm. They both jump away to get some distance from us.

"I see you probably watched our last match and saw how much I tanked Abel and saw me as a threat. Naturally you would want to get rid of me first but don't forget there are two of us." I smirk and they notice that Cy is gone. Cy sneaks up behind them and pushes both of them towards me. I dash towards them and lariat them both which knock them into the ground. I turn around and watch them stand up. Cy walks next to me and raises his forearm toward me. I smile and I raise mine as well and we bump them. I can feel the compliment coming from this gesture as if he was telling me "nice one!"

"Don't get so cocky just yet you two" Virgil says while getting into a stance and looks at Sophie. "Sophie, let's show them our joint attack!" Sophie nods and gets into a fencing stance.

"I'm ready Virgil!" she says. They both dash towards us. I step forward and get into a defensive position, ready to tank their attack. Sophie attacks first by lowering her body and thrusting the lower part of my shield that lifts it a bit then Virgil comes in with an upper slash which deflects my shield leaving me open for an attack. Sophie comes in again but kicks me straight into my gut, launching me away from them and knocking my hood off.

"Beautiful kick by Sophie! Snake might just get knocked out the arena!" The announcer commentates to the audience. I realize their game plan and quickly recover by punching my shield into the ground and implanting the hidden blade into the concrete. "Nice save by Snake! Got away by the skin of his teeth!" I look back and see I'm on the very edge of the arena. I sigh in relief and quickly turn my attention towards the battle. Cy is holding them off well but he can't do it for long. I attempt to rush towards them but before I can react Virgil trips Cy and Sophie kicks him in the gut like she did to me and launches him straight towards me. I get into a firm stance, bend my knees a little, and guard myself with my shield.

"Cy!" I shout. He spots me and realizes what I'm planning. Once he reaches me he lands both his feet on my shield. I feel the impact from his landing when he made contact with my shield. I put force into my arm and launch him towards Virgil and Sophie. Cy flies towards them at an incredible speed and starts to spin around like a hurricane. Virgil and Sophie attempt to evade but Cy slashes them both while flying by them. He gracefully lands and stands up. I look at their health, that hit took a fair amount of health from them. A smirk creeps on my face.

"One or two more hits and you two are out." I say with my smirk widening. Virgil and Sophie glare at me. They look at each other and nod. Virgil dashes towards me and Sophie towards Cy. Virgil thrusts his sword aiming for my chest. I step aside and he misses. He starts to swing relentlessly but I defend myself with my shield. I attempt to attack him but he retreats right when I make my move. _He's quick. I won't be able to hit him with my shield or my fist. Looks like I'll have to compromise. It's been awhile since I used it but it's just right for a situation like this._ "Alright I'm done playing with you. Time to end this." I quickly open my menu and with sleight of hand, go to my inventory and equip the first weapon Petra made for me after becoming my personal black smith. The 'Slithering Viper' is the name of it. It's a good thing I have photographic memory or I wouldn't be able to equip or unequip in the middle of battle in the matter of seconds. A chain wraps around my metal alloyed arm with a hook knife appearing in my hand. The chain is attached to the hoop at the top of the knife's hilt. Virgil raises an eyebrow, looking at the knife I'm holding in my hand.

"When the hell did you…" he starts but then shakes his head and faces me. "That knife won't change a thing Snake; as long as you can't keep up with my speed you'll never be able to land a hit on me!" I smirk at his decree and he glares at me.

"Are you sure about that? Why don't you come and see for yourself if this knife won't be able to land on you." I taunt him to come at me and he accepts the challenge. He sprints towards me while moving side to side, probably trying to confuse me but I won't be tricked that easily. I throw the hook knife at Virgil. He barely dodges it and he thrusts his blade at me once he gets close enough.

"Hmph, I warned you that you wouldn't be able land a hit on me." I cackle and he finally notices my health bar hasn't dropped. "What!?" He looks at his blade and notices that I caught it between my arm and side. "Are you insane!? Who the hell would try such a crazy method of catching a sword that way!?"

"Are you sure you should be worrying about that? Your health dropped you know." He looks at his health and makes a surprised face, seeing that it dropped.

"How!? I dodged your attack!" I point to the chain I'm holding in my left hand with my eyes and he follows the chain and notices it curves once he reaches his side. "No way… on my back?" I smirk again and tug on the chain. He lets a gasp filled with panic slip out of his mouth.

"Checkmate" I pull back the chain and the knife that was pierced into his back slices his back causing him to lose a significant amount of health which drops to yellow almost nearing the red mark. The chain wraps around my arm and I grab the knife once it comes into my hand.

"Dammit!" Virgil pounds the ground out of frustration. I unequip Slithering Viper and sigh.

"And the winners are Snowstorm and Snake!" I hear the announcer announce as he ends the match.

"You sure took your time, Snake" I hear Cy say. I turn to see him sitting near the end of the arena and Sophie sitting next to him, but on the outside the arena with her head hanging low. Cy must've knocked her out of the ring.

"You really need to learn how to treat the ladies Cy" I say with a grin forming around my face. He gives me that annoying expression again and I can feel a vein pop on my forehead. He just never learns does he?

* * *

Current levels:

Cyrus – Level 80  
Cross – Level 87  
Lily – Level 77  
Vile – Level 82  
Kazama – Level 75  
Rei – Level 70  
Halo –Level 76  
Yumiko – Level 70  
Petra – Level 79


End file.
